Shattered
by BlueSilverPandas
Summary: After Inuyasha breaks Kagome's heart by leaving her for Kikyo, she soon finds herself falling in love with Koga instead. But it's not going to be easy. Naraku is on the rise and a wolf princess has joined their group in search of her lost brother. Coupled with the arrival of Kagome's best friend, will this love stand a chance? KogaxKagome MirokuxSango InuyashaxOC OCxOC
1. Chapter 1: An Unexpected Surprise

Hello all, and welcome to Shattered, my Inuyasha story! This is my first time writing for the fandom, because I'm usually writing for Avatar: The Last Airbender instead. So if there are any errors, please tell me and I'll try to fix them. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, because if I did, Kagome and Koga would already be together. Sigh...

Now, without further ado, let the story begin!

* * *

Chapter 1: An Unexpected Surprise

Kagome Higurashi smiled as she strode at a steady pace through the forest, the setting sun casting long shadows across the ground. At the moment, the young schoolgirl was on her way to meet up with her lover, Inuyasha, and could hardly wait to see him. Although she considered it unusual that he had even asked her to meet him, Kagome had quickly forgotten it, simply happy that the two of them were going to be spending time together.

As she approached her and the half demon's meeting place, however, Kagome suddenly felt a wave of uneasiness wash over her. Confused, she raised an eyebrow but paid no mind to as she continued her journey.

In almost no time, she arrived at the clearing and spotted Inuyasha at the center.

"Inuyasha!" she cried and, smiling joyfully, rushed forward to give him a hug. Conversely though, he did not return it, and instead, took a step backwards.

_That's weird. _thought Kagome. She turned towards the hanyou. "What's wrong?"

Inuyasha did not answer her, but instead turned his head sideways, hiding his face behind a curtain of silvery white hair.

At that moment, a figure stepped out from the shadows, and strode out towards the spot where the couple was standing. As she came closer, her long black hair trailed behind her in the breeze, hazel eyes piercing Kagome's.

"Kikyo..." said Kagome softly. She turned towards Inuyasha. "What's going on?" she asked. "Why is _she_ here?"

Kikyo answered for her. "You mean you don't already know?"

"No," Kagome shook her head. "I don't."

Giving the schoolgirl a disdainful glare, the priestess went over and placed both her arms around the still-silent Inuyasha. "He doesn't want you anymore." she said. "He wants _me_."

Kagome widened her eyes in shock and horror. "No..." she whispered. "No! That's not true! Inuyasha, tell her! Tell her it's not true!"

Inuyasha didn't answer her, and instead, looked away.

That was enough for Kagome. "What?" she inquired miserably, her heart shattering inside of her chest. "But... why? What did I do?"

"You didn't _do _anything." sneered Kikyo. "He just doesn't love you anymore."

Kagome's eyes watered. "Inuyasha..."

"Kagome." he spoke at last, his voice so low she could barely hear him. "Please. Just leave. Go back to your own time."

His words tore at Kagome's heart in ways no one could ever imagine. At the moment, she was numb. He had _lied_ to her! She had thought Inuyasha had actually cared about her, but alas, how wrong she had been. So very, very wrong...

Turning quickly on her heel, Kagome rushed out of the clearing at top speed, tears running freely down her cheeks.

_How could he? _she thought miserably. _How _could _he?! I thought he had finally gotten over Kikyo! I…I thought he loved _me_, not _her_…_

She had to leave this place, she decided, Kagome had to get out of there right now. Going back to the campsite, she passed her friends on the way.

"Hey Kagome," Sango greeted her. "How did it go- What's wrong?"

"I have to leave!" Kagome cried, grabbing her yellow backpack and slinging it over her shoulders. "I've got to go home right now!"

"Home?" asked Miroku. "Why, what's going on?"

"I can't deal with this anymore!" came Kagome's hurried response. "I-I have to leave!"

Shippo's eyes widened. "Leave?!" he shrieked.

"Are you and Inuyasha fighting?" inquired Sango, a worried expression on her face. "Is that why you're so upset?"

"It doesn't matter!" Kagome wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "He has Kikyo now!"

"The priestess?" Miroku wondered aloud. "But I thought he had forgotten her- Where are you going?!"

"I told you!" yelled Kagome as she boarded her bicycle. "I'm going home!"

Ignoring her friends' pleas for her to stay, Kagome rode through the woods until she arrived at the well. Once there, she grabbed her things and leaped into it.

"Kagome!" cried Shippo. "Come back!"

But it was too late, as Kagome was already long gone.

"She left," Sango said, peering down into the old well.

Miroku scowled. "He's really done it this time, hasn't he?" he said. "Inuyasha, that is."

Sango nodded sadly. "I guess so."

* * *

And that's the end of the first chapter! What do you guys think of it so far? Do you like it? Please don't forget to review on your way out, and stay tuned for the next chapter!

Ja ne, peoples! :D


	2. Chapter 2: Madison

Hi everyone! And now, I present Chapter 2 of Shattered! This is where you get to meet my original character. Well, one of them, at least. ^^

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2: Madison

Meanwhile, in the present era, Kagome was sitting at the bottom of the well, knees clutched to her chest. She still didn't completely understand why Inuyasha had done what he had done, but she couldn't lie to herself: She had sort of guessed that this was going to happen. But deep down, she had sort of hoped that maybe Inuyasha would change his mind and pick _her_, rather than Kikyo.

What had she been thinking? Kagome had known all along that he would pick Kikyo over her. Where else could he disappear to in the evenings, if he wasn't with Kikyo?

Swallowing hard, Kagome picked herself up off the ground and began climbing up the rusty ladder, taking with her the yellow backpack and the pink bicycle. Half an hour later, she was finally out and began to walk towards the place where her house stood.

"Kagome!" her mother greeted when she entered. "You're back! How's-?" She stopped short when she saw her daughter's tear-stained face. "Darling," she asked with a worried expression. "What's wrong?"

Kagome bit her lip and said nothing.

Understanding what must have happened, Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "It's alright, dear." she said. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Kagome nodded stiffly. "Thanks, mom."

"Oh!" cried her mother suddenly. "Before I forget, Madison called while you were away." The woman smiled. "She said she had something really exciting to tell you."

Kagome perked up. It wasn't very often that she got the chance to talk to Madison, because of the fact that she lived in England while Kagome lived in Japan. Due to the long distance, the girls could only talk on the phone about once a month.

When they were younger, Madison had been Kagome's very best friend. She had been born in London, but moved to Tokyo when she was seven because of her dad's job. However, in her and Kagome's fourth year of elementary school, Madison had been forced to move back to England- also because of her father's job. By then, though, she was already friends with Kagome and the two would exchange emails often. Every now and again, usually in the summertime, Madison would get on an airplane and fly over to Japan to pay her friend a visit. When this happened, she and Kagome would spend every waking moment together, always at one another's side.

"Thank you," Kagome said to her mom. "I'll be sure to call her back." And with that, she turned around and went upstairs to her room. Once there, the schoolgirl sighed and flopped down onto her bed. The thought of talking to her friend brightened her mood somewhat, but she still couldn't get over her unhappiness at what had just happened.

Lifting herself off the bed, Kagome walked out into the hallway. She decided to return her friend's call now rather than later, or else it might be a long time before Madison got any response whatsoever. Like clockwork, she punched Madison's number into the telephone and waited silently for someone to pick up.

Two rings later, a little girl's voice, light and airy, greeted her. "Hello?"

"Hi Lily, this is Kagome." Kagome said to the girl, Madison's six-year-old sister. "Is your sister there?"

"Yep!" Lily replied joyfully. "Just a second!" Kagome smiled to herself when she heard the child set down the phone, her tiny feet scampering off to find her big sister. A few minutes later, another girl's voice came on the line. This one was different from the first one; it was much thinner, with just a hint of a British accent.

"Hello?"

Kagome's grin widened. "Hi Madison, this is Kagome."

"Kagome!" cried Madison on the other end. "It's you! Wow, I haven't heard from you in so long! How are you doing?"

"Honestly," frowned Kagome. "Not so well."

"Why?" Madison furrowed her brow as she spoke. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Yes." Kagome sighed unhappily.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Madison said sympathetically. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know." sighed Kagome.

"Are you sure?" asked the English girl as she toyed with a lock of her short blonde hair. "I don't mind at all."

"Well…" For a moment, Kagome was hesitant to talk about Inuyasha and Kikyo being together. In no time, however, she soon found herself pouring out the entire story, trying desperately to fight the tears she knew were coming.

"So," said Madison when Kagome had finished talking. "He left you for that dead priestess girl? No wonder you seem so upset!"

Kagome didn't say anything, but only responded with a single, quiet sniff. "It was pretty bad," she finally admitted.

Madison frowned angrily as her mind began to race. "Well," she said at last. "When I had spoken to you before, you mentioned that you and Inuyasha had been having some problems with your relationship recently. Is that true?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah," she said, recalling the time she had told her friend all about her adventures in the Feudal Era and her silver-haired boyfriend. **_Ex_**_-boyfriend now. _she thought glumly.

"Forget him, Kagome." Madison declared fiercely. "You deserve a much better man than that bastard, got it?"

"Alright," replied Kagome. "You're right, he…" She swallowed hard. "He doesn't deserve me."

Madison grinned. "That's the spirit!" she encouraged. "Now then, let's forget about him, and move on to happier topics, shall we? You will never guess what I am about to tell you! Go on, guess!"

Kagome pondered for a moment. "You're getting a pet?" she deduced.

Madison shook her head. "Nope. Try again."

"You're going on a trip?" Kagome speculated.

Madison giggled. "You're getting warmer."

"Hmm…" Kagome wracked her brains for a moment, before finally responding. "You're coming here?" she asked.

"Yes!" came Madison's excited reply. "But it's not for a vacation. I'm going to be going to school!" Her smile widened. "_Your _school!"

"Really?" Kagome's face broke into a smile. "That's great, Madison! Where are you going to be staying?"

"With you!" Madison shrieked joyfully. "Our mums have talked it over, and yours said that it was just fine! If you don't mind, that is."

"Of course I don't mind!" cried Kagome. "Not at all! When are you coming?"

"About two weeks from now," came Madison's reply. "I can't wait!"

"Two weeks?" asked Kagome. "Wow…" she said quietly, for it seemed like a very short time away. Then, a thought flashed through her mind. "Maybe when you come, you might be able to meet the others."

"You mean your friends from the Feudal Era?" questioned Madison. "I'd love to! But," she raised an eyebrow. "I thought that only you were able to go there."

"I know," Kagome exhaled silently. "But I think they'd really like you. I'll find a way."

"Okay then," replied Madison. She then heard a familiar voice call out her name. "I have to go now, Kagome." said the blonde girl. "Mum wants me to finish packing."

"All right," answered Kagome. "See you when you come!"

"Bye, Kagome." Madison said, before hanging up the phone in her bedroom.

In her own house, Kagome went back to her room and smiled happily to herself.

_I can't wait until __Madison__ comes! _she thought. _Gee, I wonder what the others will think of her…?_

* * *

So, what do you guys think of Madison so far? Do you like her? Please tell me what you think, reviews are greatly appreciated. :)

Ja ne peoples!

~BlueSilverPandas


	3. Chapter 3: Redone Almost

Hey you guys! Sorry I'm a little late updating, but like I said, I'm very busy with school and such, so I can't update as often as I'd like to. T-T Actually, I just turned fifteen this past Saturday, on Halloween! ^O^ Do I feel any different because of it? Strangely, yeah, a little bit! Oh, almost forgot the disclaimer...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I do own Madison. Please don't sue me!

And now, without further ado, may I present Chapter 3 of Shattered!

* * *

One week later, Kagome stood at the doorway to her bedroom, surveying the changes that had recently been made. After she had heard that Madison would be staying with her and her family, Kagome and her mother had gone out to buy a second bed, since Kagome's room was where the girl would be sleeping. They had also cleared out some space in both the closet and in the dresser for Madison's clothes and such. Now, because of these changes, the room seemed a bit more cramped than before, but Kagome didn't care. She was just happy that Madison would be coming. Her arrival was now only seven days away, and Kagome was becoming more and more excited.

However, beneath these layers of anticipation lay a broken heart that was still in its healing stages. Yes, Kagome knew that Inuyasha had acted like a complete jerk (Madison had certainly told her enough times), but she couldn't deny the fact that she was all alone now, without someone to love.

_No. _Kagome shook her head firmly. _I don't need him, not at all. I've still got my friends, right? Who needs a man by your side when you've already got the best friends you could ever ask for, right?_

_Speaking of other friends. . . _Kagome thought to herself, her mind drifting over to images of Sango, Miroku, and Shippo. _It wouldn't hurt to visit them for a little while. _Obviously, she couldn't stay for as long as she usually did because of Madison, but just for a day or two, if that.

Grabbing her yellow backpack, she went over to her closet and pulled out a light pink t-shirt and some jeans, should she need them. After checking to make sure she had her first aid kit and her arrows, she went downstairs to the kitchen, where she spotted her mother cooking something over the stove.

"Hey mom," said Kagome aloud. "I need to go down the well for a bit to see my other friends. But don't worry," she added quickly. "I'll be back before Madison gets here, I promise."

"Alright then, dear." replied her mom. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will." Kagome nodded. "See you soon!" And with that, she opened the front door and began making her way towards the direction of the old well. Once there, she was easily able to leap down through the barrier because of the jewel shards that were still around her neck.

Landing safely on the other side, Kagome gave a satisfied smile and climbed out, scanning the grassy meadows for any signs of her friends. Her search soon ended, however, when she spotted a little red-haired fox demon sitting beneath a nearby tree.

"Kagome!" Shippo jumped up the minute he spotted her. "You're back!"

Kagome smiled as he leaped into her awaiting arms. "It's good to see you, Shippo." she said to him. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." came Shippo's response. "And so have Sango and Miroku. They got really worried after you ran off like that." he swallowed hard. "We were afraid that you weren't going to come back."

"Oh, Shippo!" said Kagome. "I'm sorry to make you worry like that! Of course I'd come back, even if I _was _really upset. Where are Sango and Miroku, anyways?"

"Back at the camp," replied Shippo as Kagome set him down. The boy paused. "Inuyasha's back there too." he finally said in a quiet, timid-like tone of voice.

A lump began to form in Kagome's throat at the mention of the hanyou himself, the very one that had left such a scar across her heart. But she tried not to show it in her response to Shippo.

"Really?" she replied, trying to sound nonchalant about it. "I-I thought he'd be with Kikyo by now."

"He was for a while," voiced Shippo, shrugging his shoulders. "But he's back now. I don't know why, but he is."

"Yeah. . ." Kagome bit her lip, but tried her best to put on a happy face in front of Shippo. "So, where did you say Miroku and Sango were?"

"Back at camp," said Shippo. "Come on, I'll show you." And with that, the little demon turned around and began to scamper lightly through the forest.

As Kagome followed closely behind him, her mind began to race.

_I guess Inuyasha is back now, _she thought, and puffed up her bangs. _No, this shouldn't be awkward at **all**. . . _

A short while later, Kagome arrived with Shippo at a small clearing located beneath the trees, where various items had been placed haphazardly. There was a small bag filled with herbs, a frying pan, and a piece of leather that Sango had been using to keep her hair back. On a nearby log, the schoolgirl soon spotted said demon slayer and Buddist monk, deeply absorbed in a conversation and totally oblivious to the world around them.

"Hey you guys!" shrieked Shippo in a joyful manner. "Look who's back!"

"Kagome!" Sango and Miroku both stood up at the same time and rushed over to greet her.

"Hi Sango, hi Miroku." Kagome gave them her brightest smile. "It's nice to see you both again."

"We've missed you, Kagome." Sango verbalized, a look of concern passing over her lovely face. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," Kagome gave a quick bob of her head. "Just fine."

"That's good to hear." grinned Miroku. "It's nice to have you back with us again."

"It's nice to _be _back." admitted Kagome with a grin of her own. That grin soon disappeared from her face, though, when she spotted a silver-haired figure seated on a nearby tree branch. His arms were crossed over his chest as he slumped down low, trying to make himself scarce. He peered at Kagome through his long bangs, ears twitching at the mere sight of the girl.

"I-Inuyasha." Kagome said at last, struggling to keep from falling apart, right then and there.

"Kagome." came his sharp response. Leaping down from the tree branch, the half-demon stood before her, his cold, amber eyes piercing her brown ones. "I thought I had told you to go back to your own time."

"I did." replied Kagome evenly. "But now I've returned."

"Tch," Inuyasha glared at her with an air of disdain. "I can see that."

Ignoring him, Kagome tore her gaze away from his and turned to the others. "But anyways," she said. "I'm really excited. One of my best friends is coming to live at my house while she goes to school here, and I was hoping that she might be able to meet all of you."

"What's her name?" Shippo's ears perked up. "What's she like?"

"Her name is Madison," Kagome countered. "And she's really nice. She's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, I can guarantee it."

"She sounds interesting," said Sango. "When is she coming?"

"In a week," replied Kagome. "And I can hardly wait! It's been so long since she's last visited me!"

"Pfft," scoffed Inuyasha. "That's just what we need. _Another _annoying person tagging along with us."

"She's not annoying!" Kagome insisted, spinning around to glare at the hanyou. "How dare you say that! You don't even know her!"

"If she's a friend of _yours_," Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Then of course she's going to be annoying."

"SIT BOY!"

"Ah!" Inuyasha gave a loud cry as his face slammed into the ground. Growling angrily, he looked up at Kagome. "What is your problem?!"

"That's enough." Miroku glared down at where Inuyasha lay. "This Madison girl is a friend of Kagome's, and shall be treated as such upon her arrival. Am I clear?"

Getting up, Inuyasha simply snickered and muttered something about Madison being a girl. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a sullen look passed over Sango's face.

"I'm going for a walk." she said, and with that, turned on one foot and began to pace delicately through the forest. Miroku kept a steadfast gaze upon the demon slayer's retreating figure.

"I'll be right back." were his only words as he began to follow in the direction Sango had gone. Raising an eyebrow, Kagome turned to look at Shippo.

"Is Sango alright?" she asked the boy.

"I don't think so," Shippo shook his head rapidly. "This has been going on ever since you left, you see, but nobody seems to know why."

"Hmm," Kagome nodded, but didn't say another word on the subject.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the forest, Sango was now seated upon the ground, staring cross-legged at the blue nothingness above her. _What a beautiful day. . . _she thought to herself in a bittersweet fashion, for it was days like these that Kohaku had loved the most. But what use were of days like these if her younger brother was now unable to enjoy them to the fullest.

Sango sighed at the horrible memories that flooded her mind. True, he was not dead like her father, but with the way Naraku was manipulating him, he might as well be. Tears flooded her eyes as she thought of the young boy that was now Kohaku, with no light in his eyes and an empty mind. She thought of the sacred jewel shard embedded in his back, the only thing keeping Kohaku from death's eternal slumber. But at such a horrible price. . .

"Sango?" a voice suddenly interrupted the demon slayer's train of thought. "Are you there?"

Glancing up briskly, Sango saw Miroku standing before her, staff in hand, a concerned expression on his face.

"Oh," came Sango's reply. "Hello, Miroku. I didn't see you."

Miroku shrugged in response. "You seem sort of upset today," he continued. "Not like your usual self. Is everything okay?"

The brunette heaved a sigh. "No." she admitted at last.

Coming over, Miroku sat down beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. "It's-" he paused, wondering whether or not he should continue. "It's Kohaku, isn't it?"

Biting her lip, Sango bobbed her head up and down. "Today is his birthday." she said. "Kohaku is twelve years old today. But because of Naraku..."

Miroku cut her off. "I understand." he said.

"It's just that..." Sango continued, squeezing her eyes shut tight and then opening them again. "I _hate _seeing him being manipulated in this way. And the worst part is that there's nothing I can do about it."

"Well," Miroku concentrated for a moment. "He's alive, right?"

"Yes." agreed Sango. "That I am so grateful for." She smiled at the monk. "Thanks, Miroku."

He smiled back at her. "It's no trouble."

"Um, Miroku?"

"Yes, Sango?"

"Is it _really _necessary for you to touch my leg like that while we're talking?"

Grinning sheepishly, the lecherous monk took his hand away from said appendage (albeit hesitantly) and said nothing more.

* * *

Phew! *wipes forehead* That was probably the longest chapter so far... I can't believe I actually wrote all of that. Hope you guys liked the little SangoxMiroku bit I tossed in there. ;D Fluff and angst... what an interesting mix. Oh, and by the way, I don't actually know when Kohaku's birthday is, so if anyone could tell me, that would be great. :)

Reviews are greatly appreciated, as per usual. ^^

Ja ne!

~BlueSilverPandas


	4. Chapter 4: The Wolf Princess

Hello all! I'm sorry this chapter is a little later than the others, my weekend was jam packed and I couldn't find time to write. Now, instead of having myself do the disclaimer this time, I've hired my OC Madison to do it instead!

Madison: *is surprised* Me?

Me: Yeah, you! ^^ Come on then, there's no time to waste! Say the line!

Madison: Okay then. BlueSilverPandas does not own the Inuyasha franchise in any way, shape, or form. *pauses*

Me: Continue, please.

Madison: *dejectedly* But she does own me.

Me: You and the other original character whom you guys are about to meet! Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Chapter 4 of Shattered! Enjoy! :D

Madison: Wait, where's my paycheck? You promised me a paycheck if I did this for you!

Me: *sweating* Uhh... it's in the mail?

* * *

While these past few events were taking place down in the forest, far up north in the mountains, a young wolf demon crouched behind some bushes. This wolf girl, approximately fifteen years of age, was watching her prey, a large boar, with sharp blue eyes the color of the ocean.

_This is it. _thought the young hunter. _This is my chance._

Crouching down even lower to the ground, she brushed back a stray bit of her long ebony hair and readied her weapon. The sharp, pointed tip of the girl's beloved spear glinted in the sunlight as she waited for the perfect moment to strike.

She smiled fiendishly, exposing her pearly white fangs. _I've got you now. _she thought. _There will be no escaping me..._

With a sudden flash of light and a quick gust of wind, the demonic girl leaped towards the boar, spear in hand. Upon seeing her, the boar let out a cry and attemped to run away, but this young girl was much faster. Within a matter of seconds, the animal lay dead upon the ground, the hunter carefully poised above it, wearing a satisfied smile.

She poked the great beast once with her spear to make sure that it was indeed dead. When she was satisfied with the answer, she threw back her head and let out a loud howl that could be heard for miles. Several moments later, a pack of about four or five wolves came running out from the woods and paused before her.

One of them spoke in a low, throaty voice. "You called, my Princess?"

"Yes." the girl smiled. Gesturing to the slain boar in front of her, she commanded the wolf pack to take it back to her tribe for dinner.

"Of course, Princess." The pack bowed regally to the wolf girl, before carefully lifting the boar onto their backs and making their way back home.

Following closely behind them, the young princess looked down at her right arm and smiled fondly at the glowing purple light that eminated from it.

_How lucky am I to have found this sacred jewel shard! _she thought happily. Thanks to the shard, her hunting skills had improved dramatically, as well as her fighting ability. Even though she had been the best in both of these before she had found the shard, she secretly felt a little glimmer of pride every time she caught a glimpse of her arm.

Once she arrived back to her tribe, up in the mountains, she was approached by an elderly woman dressed in a dark blue kimono with light purple trim. Her silvery was pulled back into a haphazard bun, leaving pieces dangling around her misty blue eyes.

"Princess Kita," the woman bowed respectfully before the wolf girl. "You have returned. How was your hunt?"

"Very good, Midori-san."the one called Kita replied as she gestured towards the the boar she had killed. "We will be eating well tonight."

"Excellent work, my child." the woman nodded, her face breaking into a small smile. "Come now, I wish to speak to you in private."

"Of course." Kita responded respectfully as she followed after Midori, towards one of the caves that her people called home. When she and the old woman had arrived to their little portion of that cave, Midori turned to Kita.

"Sit down and light a fire." she commanded. "For now that you are fifteen, there is much that you need to know."

"Yes, Midori-san." Kita said, going over towards the small woodpile that she had constructed. Taking a few sturdy logs off the top, she put them in the fireplace and lit a spark. Within seconds, she had a full fire going, and began to warm her hands next to it.

Sitting down, Midori looked over at Kita, her eyes shining in the firelight. "Princess," she began. "Now that you have finally come of age, it is time that you knew the truth about what happened to your family."

"But I already know what happened to them." Kita raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "My parents and my brother were killed in a demon attack when I was four years old."

"That is false." Midori shook her head. "Your mother and father both perished, yes, but your brother is still alive."

Kita's eyes widened. "A-Alive?" she whispered. "But... how is that possible? I thought he had died. I thought everyone had died..."

"Then we both thought wrong." said Midori. "But back to your brother. He is a wolf demon, just like you, except he lives in a different wolf tribe."

"Where does he live?" asked Kita.

"I'm not sure of the exact location," admitted Midori. "But I know that it's somewhere to the south of ours."

Kita nodded slowly, trying to soak in all this new information. "I see."

"Yes." Midori said. "Now tell me, my young one, can you remember him at all? Perhaps if you used that necklace of yours?"

Quietly, Kita's fingers traveled up towards her neck and rested upon the dark lavender beads that lay there, glistening in the dim light of the den. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried with all her might to remember her brother's face. Finally, after several seconds of concentrating, an image of a young wolf boy appeared in her mind. The image laughed and smiled down at her for a brief moment, before vanishing into the darkness once more.

Blinking slightly, the princess opened her eyes. "I think I _do _remember him." she said at last. "From when I was young. He- he used to make me laugh all the time." she sighed. "But other than that, I can barely remember anything about him. How will I ever be able to find him?"

Midori took her hand and held it for a moment. "

"You will, my child." she said firmly. "When you meet him and get to know him, you will know that he is your family. Those beads," she gestured towards Kita's throat. "Those beads are a sign of his neverending love for you. He crafted those for you not because he had to, but because he wanted to." Her silvery eyes pierced Kita's. "He gave you those beads because he loved you."

Kita nodded once more, blinking back the tears that had begun to form in her eyes. "That is why I must find him, Midori." she said. "He is the only famliy I've got left."

"I know." replied the old woman. "And now that you have finally come of age, you are allowed to leave our tribe in order to do so."

"Leave the tribe?" questioned Kita. "But Midori-san," she began. "This is the only home I have ever truly known. How could I possibly leave it?"

"Of course it will not be permanent," came Midori's answer. "Even if you leave our tribe, you will still be one of our princesses. And besides," A knowing grin played at her wrinkled face. "I fully expect you to come and visit the woman who raised you."

Kita chuckled softly. After the attack on her former home, Midori had found the little girl hiding in the woods, crouched beneath that of a pine tree. Having taken pity on her, and because she had no children of her own, the elderly woman took her back to her own wolf tribe and cared for her as a mother would care for her daughter. Shortly after Kita's arrival, Midori and some of the other elders had noticed the little girl's intelligence and how she succeeded in almost everything she did. It was because of this that they had decided to make Kita one of their princesses, a rare decision in that time. Because she was not born into that particular tribe, many people considered the wolf demon child to be an outsider, and thought that she should leave. However, the elders were so confident in her abilities that in no time, everyone respected their judgement once more.

Going over to where Midori sat, the young princess placed her arms around the woman's shoulders and held on tight. "Don't worry," she promised. "I could never forget you."

"I hope you don't." Pulling back, Midori placed her hands on either side of Kita's face. "Be careful, my little one."

"Always." replied Kita.

"When is it that you wish to leave?" asked Midori.

"Would tomorrow morning be alright?" came Kita's response.

"Of course." Midori smiled at her. "But you must go to sleep now, if that is what you want. You will need your strength."

Getting up from her cross-legged position, Kita bobbed her head. "I will. Good night, Midori." she said, walking over towards the spot where she laid her head each night. "I wish you pleasant dreams."

"Good night, Kita." Midori whispered softly as she put out the fire. "Sleep well."

* * *

Well, now you all have been introduced to Kita, the Wolf Demon. What do you guys think of her? Good, bad, or in the middle? I'd like to know. :) And by the way, if any of you have further information about how the story turns out and who Kita's lost brother may be, I respectfully request that you keep such information to yourself and not spoil the surprise for everyone else. Is that doable? Thanks a lot! ^^

Reviews are appreciated, as per usual. Ja ne, everybody!

~BlueSilverPandas


	5. Chapter 5: Different

Hello everybody! Before I forget, I'd just like to say thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and story alerts for Shattered! A big internet hug to you all! ^^

And now, here's Chapter 5! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its affiliates. But I do own Madison, Kita, and Midori.

* * *

In almost no time at all, morning broke and Kita opened her eyes. Sitting up in her bed of furs, she yawned and stretched her arms above her head, her eyes beginning to adjust to the dim lighting of the place she called home.

_I suppose I should get up now. _she thought as she lifted herself up out of her bed. Rubbing her eyes, Kita left the cave and walked a short distance down to the river to get ready for the day. Once there, the wolf princess splashed some cold water onto her face and pulled her hair back into a long ponytail. However, a few stray pieces were still left dangling in her face. Giving a sigh, she grabbed some barrettes that she had carved out of twigs and shoved them onto her head. To Kita, it didn't matter how she appeared to everyone else. She wanted others to remember her for her magnificent fighting skills, not for her hairstyle.

After she had finished, the wolf princess made her way back up to her tribe, where Midori was waiting for her.

"Good morning, Kita." said the elderly woman. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mostly." replied Kita.

"Come then," Midori nodded. "Have some breakfast before you leave, will you?"

"Of course." said Kita as she followed Midori back to their den. After she had eaten the meat that was left over from yesterday's hunt, Midori came up to her, holding Kita's rucksack in her hands.

"Here, my child." She handed the sack to Kita. "For your journey."

Peering into the bag, Kita saw that Midori had been kind enough to pack a good supply of food, along with several extra tips for her spear, should it happen to break. There was also a smaller bag, this one tied securely with a piece of leather.

Kita looked up at Midori. "What are those?" she asked.

"Herbs." came Midori's response. "Should you become injured, they will help you to heal faster than you normally would."

"Thank you, Midori-san." Kita smiled, going over to give the elderly woman a hug.

"Please promise me that you will be careful." said Midori as she wrapped her arms around the wolf princess, holding her tightly.

"I promise." replied Kita. Pulling away, she took her rucksack from Midori and turned towards the path that lead away from her tribe.

"Goodbye, Kita!" Midori raised a hand to wave at the wolf princess. "I wish you well!"

"Goobye, Midori-san!" Kita called back. "Tell everyone goodbye for me!" And with that, she waved to her guardian one last time before turning around and beginning her long walk down the path.

After about half an hour of walking, Kita decided to stop and rest for a while. She spotted a small stream nearby, and went over to take a drink. All of a sudden, the young wolf girl heard a faint rustling noise coming from the bushes.

Her pointed ears perked up as she readied her spear. "Who's there?" she hollered loudly.

No response.

She tried again. "I command you to show yourself!"

Still no reply, even though Kita could visibly see the dark figure of a man, looming beneath the shadow of a nearby tree. His arms were crossed over his chest in a slightly haughty manner, his purple robes flowing in a breeze that wasn't there. His dark brown eyes slid over to look at Kita from underneath hair so black it almost didn't look real. The mysterious man smiled at the wolf princess, but it was not a pleasant smile. It was cruel, cunning, and venomous in nature. Just by looking at him was Kita able to sense his dark aura; it enveloped and smothered her like a thick, black fog.

Kita's eyes widened, but she refused to give in to fear. "Who are you?" she said at last.

But she received no reply, for within seconds, the girl was sprawled over on the ground, pain suddenly searing through her right arm. With a grunt, Kita's other hand flew to where she kept her shard of the sacred Shikon jewel, pulsating now in the afternoon sunlight.

Pushing to the limits of her strength, she glared up at the stranger that now stood above her, unmovable as a tree. "Who are you?!" she cried again, before finally giving in to the agonizing pain and flopping her head back against the soft green grass.

Chuckling softly to himself, the man took one good, hard look at her face before fixating his gaze on her arm, the one with the sacred jewel shard. Again, he smiled his wicked smile as he thought of the power that he would gain from this one tiny piece. But wait a moment... he had not answered the poor girl's question yet, now had he?

Kneeling down next to the unconscious Kita, the stranger finally gave his answer in a low whisper.

"Call me Naraku."

* * *

Meanwhile, in his den, Koga sat upon his bed made of furs and let out a frustrated sigh. Why was it that Kagome refused to give in to his advances? He had done everything he could possibly think of to woo her over, and yet she still remained loyal only to... _him._

Koga let out a low growl as the image of Inuyasha's face crossed his mind, taunting him with that know-it-all smirk of his. _Stupid mutt... _he mused angrily. _What's he got that Kagome loves so much?_

"Why not me?" he said aloud. And why not? He _knew _he was the top choice for Kagome, he _knew _it.

So why was he beginning to doubt himself?

The wolf prince's chain of thought, however, was suddenly interrupted by a sweet flowery scent filling his nose. _Hmm? _he thought, confused. But upon a closer inspection, he found the wonderful scent to be that of his love, Kagome.

_Kagome! _Koga's pointed ears perked up. _She's nearby! But is Dog Crap with her, I wonder...?_

Raising his head a bit, Koga sniffed the air a couple of times and smiled. _So, _he thought happily. _I guess that Inu**trash**a isn't with her today! What luck!_

His mood suddenly brightened, Koga immediately got up and rushed out of the den, heading in the direction Kagome was at. Sure enough, he found her only a short distance from his den. She was sitting upon a rock and staring into space, but when she spotted Koga, she smiled and gestured for him to sit next to her.

"Hello, Koga!" she said. "How are you? It's been a while since we've seen each other."

"It has," agreed the wolf prince, going over to sit with her. "I have been well, but it makes me very happy to see you again."

Kagome blushed slightly at his words, but said nothing.

"So," continued Koga. "Where's the mutt? How come he isn't with you?" Try as he might for the one he loved, Koga could not hold back the venomous tone he used whenever Inuyasha came up in conversation.

Biting her lip, Kagome turned away from the wolf prince. "He left me." she finally said. "We-we're not together anymore."

Koga's eyes widened in elated surprise. Had he heard that right?! Had Kagome and Inuyasha really broken up at last?! His heart surged with joy at Kagome's words. But wait a second... "Why did he leave you Kagome?"

"He wanted to be with Kikyo." Kagome replied, her voice wobbling. "He decided that he..." she swallowed hard. "He just didn't love me like he loved _her_."

"He left you for a dead priestess?" asked Koga.

Kagome nodded quietly, before she finally broke down and burst into tears. All the pain, anguish, and sorrow that she had felt that fateful summer night was now being poured out in front of her. She couldn't stand it anymore, not when she kept hearing Inuyasha's voice inside her head, over and over, telling her to just leave.

But _why_? _Why _had he done this to her? And after everything she had done for him, too! She knew it was for the best, that she didn't need someone like him in her life, but that certainly didn't make her feel any less awful about it. After all, he had _dumped _her like yesterday's garbage for a girl who had no soul.

All of a sudden, Kagome felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, pulling her close to their owner. Glancing up slightly, she saw Koga's handsome face gazing down at her with utmost concern. "Kagome..." he whispered softly.

But she barely heard him, for at that moment, she buried her face in his chest as tears began to flow freely down her cheeks. Koga responded only by gently tucking her head beneath his chin, pulling her even closer than before as he rubbed her back soothingly.

"It's okay, love." he murmured into her ear. "You know you don't need him. He could never even dream of being worthy of having someone like you."

Kagome sniffed softly. "Thank you, Koga." she said.

Koga nodded. "It's no trouble." he replied.

Kagome looked up again, this time finding herself gazing into the wolf demon's eyes. She had encountered Koga many times before, it was true, but never before had she seen him at this close a distance. _Wow... _thought Kagome. _Have his eyes always been that shade of blue? _

They stayed there for what was probably just a few minutes, but to the both of them, it felt like hours. At last, Kagome snapped out of her trance and, pulling back, smiled up at Koga.

"You're right." she said, wiping away the last of her tears. "I really _don't _need him. Not if he doesn't care about me."

Lifting up his hand, Koga brushed a stray bit of hair away from Kagome's face and tucked it behind her ear. "I'm glad you feel better." he said. "It hurts me to see you so sad."

A light blush crept across Kagome's face, although she wasn't sure why. This _was _Koga she was talking to, right? Of course it was! So why should it feel any different than it normally did?

"Thanks." she managed to say at last. Then she brightened suddenly. "Oh! I almost forgot! I have something to tell you!" Excitedly, she started telling Koga all about her friend Madison and how she would be coming to stay with her.

"And," she added, suddenly shy. "I was sort of hoping that she'd get to meet you."

"It would be my pleasure." Koga smiled down at her. "She sounds like a wonderful person."

"She is." said Kagome. "Well, I should probably get going now. I still have some things to do before she gets here."

"Alright then." said Koga. "I'll see you later, Kagome."

"Bye Koga." she replied with a grin. "See you soon." And with that, she turned around and began to walk away. As she made her way back to the old well, she started thinking.

_Gee, _she thought. _I never truly noticed how sweet Koga is towards me. When I'm with him, I feel different somehow, but it's a good different. _A smile slowly spread across her face. _I can't wait for him and Madison to meet each other. She's sure to love him._

Kagome continued to smile to herself as she trekked on through the sunlit forest at a leisurely pace. But her happiness was short-lived, however, when she detected a strange presence nearby.

_That's odd. _she thought. _Why would-?_

But she never got to finish her thought, for at that very moment, a figrue dropped down in front of her, startling her. Kagome suddenly felt a rough hand grab on to a chunk of her hair as a cold object touched her throat.

Looking up fervently, Kagome saw a girl standing there, a wolf demon like Koga. But she didn't look the way a wolf demon normally would. Her face was a deathly white, and there was absolutely no light in her eyes. When she spoke, it was in a monotone that a normal person would never dream of using.

"Give me your sacred jewel shards," she said, eyes fixated only on Kagome. "And I won't have to kill you."

* * *

CLIFFHANGER! *insert suspenseful music here* But I hope you guys liked it anyways. :) What did you think of the KogaxKagome fluff I threw in? Cute? ^^ Right now, I'm actually listening to Inuyasha's Lullaby, or Inuyasha Sontanshi in Japanese. Thanks to ASingleFallenSilverRose for sending me the link to the song! It's really pretty, I wonder if they have it on iTunes...

Reviews are appreciated! Ja ne, everybody!

~BlueSilverPandas


	6. Chapter 6: Call of Duty

Hello fellow fan fiction readers, and happy Turkey Day for those of you who celebrated it! Hope you guys had a good one! ^^

But anyhoo, here's Chapter 6! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Blah blah blah... don't own Inuyasha... how many times must I say it? Or rather, type it?

* * *

Walking away from the clearing and back towards his own den, Koga held his head high and walked with a confident swagger. And he had good reason to; Kagome and the half-breed were over at last! Even though it broke Koga's heart to see his love in such a distraught manner, his heart was also filled with hope. A hope that perhaps, _he _would be the one that Kagome would turn to for her love, instead of Inuyasha.

_Stupid mutt... _Koga thought to himself. _Soon, he'll realize that he's made the biggest mistake of his life._

Koga, personally, couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't want a woman like Kagome by their side. Along with being exceptionally beautiful, Kagome was kind, caring, and also harbored an undying loyalty to those she loved. There were so many more words that Koga could have used to describe her, but if he were to do such a thing, he knew he would be at it forever.

Suddenly, out of the blue, the wolf prince heard a shrill scream, followed by a cry of, "Get away from me!"

_Kagome! _Koga's face whitened in horror. _She's in trouble! I have to save her! _Following his nose, he soon found the schoolgirl not too far away. She seemed to be in the midst of a struggle with someone Koga did not recognize. But whoever this person was, they were attempting to take the jewel shards from Kagome in a violent manner.

"Leave me alone!" Kagome shrieked at the attacker.

But she- the attacker was female- wasn't having any of it. "Hand them over." she said to Kagome. "I command you to."

Koga's brow furrowed in anger when he saw this. Where did this girl get off, attacking _his _woman? Well, he was just going to have to march right over there and give her a piece of his mind.

"Hey you!" he hollered angrily. "What do you think your doing?"

_Huh...? _The girl turned turned to him with a blank stare. "What business is it of yours?" she asked, her voice void of all emotion.

"That happens to be my woman you're attacking!" Koga turned to face Kagome. "Are you okay, love?"

Kagome nodded shakily. "I'm fine." she responded. "But there's something I don't understand. That girl, why is she...?" Her voice trailed off unexpectedly when she finally noticed the demonic aura surrounding the three of them. Then, out of the shadows emerged a figure, smiling malevolently, and it was then that Kagome recognized him.

"Naraku!" she cried. "_You're _behind this! I should have known..."

"Correct." came his icy response. Coming forward, he laid a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "I was only taking a short walk through the forest, and lo and behold, there she is. Right away did I notice a sacred jewel shard in one of her arms. I was running low on henchmen anyways, so," His smile widened. "I figured that it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up."

Kagome's eyes widened, but then an angry scowl befell her face. "You'll never get away with this!" she yelled.

"Too late." replied Naraku evenly. "She is now completely under my control." He turned to the dark-haired girl.

"Kill them." he commanded. "And while you're at it, perhaps you ought to call your little minions to give you a hand."

Koga raised an eyebrow at the statement. What exactly did Naraku mean by _minions_? He received his answer, however, when the girl nodded, threw back her head, and let out a loud howl that could be heard for miles. It was so loud that it caused Kagome to jump backwards, covering her ears.

The wolf prince turned to her. "I know who she is now!" he hollered. "She's a wolf demon, and she's calling her henchmen! Run while you can!"

But it was too late, for a large pack of wolves had already burst forth from the forest and surrounded both Koga and Kagome, growling ferociously. It was then that the wolf girl, now known to us as Kita, stepped forward and readied her weapon: a long, sharp spear.

"Give me your jewel shards." she said in a loud voice. "Don't make me ask again!"

Koga glowered at her. "Over my dead body!" And with that, he rushed ahead to attack her. But she, however, was too quick for him, and easily jumped out of the way. Then, drawing back her spear, Kita lunged forward, ready to stab Koga right in the chest.

"Be careful, Koga!" cried Kagome. "I don't think she has any idea of what she's doing!"

Acknowledging her with a nod, Koga clenched his teeth, concentrating hard as sweat poured down the side of his handsome face. How could Kagome possibly expect him to beat this girl if he wasn't supposed to hurt her? It just didn't seem possible.

He let out a quick breath, though, as he dodged Kita's weapon yet again. "Damn you, wolf girl!" he yelled. "Why won't you wake up already?!"

Meanwhile, nearby, Kagome was becoming more and more nervous as she tried desperately to dodge Kita's wolf pack. She gasped aloud when she glanced back to where they all now stood, teeth bared and drooling at the sight of her. Had there been that many wolves there a second ago? Oh, how Kagome wished she had her arrows with her! If only she hadn't left them back at camp!

"Koga!" she screamed as her heart began to race. "Help me!"

"Kagome!" he shouted in response, running over to where the girl now stood. But he wasn't fast enough; Kita leaped in front of him.

"I don't think so!" she growled. "We're not finished yet!"

"Step aside, you little wench!" Koga bared his fangs angrily. "Or you will surely regret it!"

Ignoring him, Kita dashed forwards again and, lifting her arm, produced a fist and caught Koga clear in the face. The wolf prince let out a cry of surprise as he felt the impact, and fell backwards upon the cold, unforgiving ground.

"Koga!" shrieked Kagome.

From his position on the ground, Koga let out a groan as his cheek began to throb with much more pain than it should have. She had hit him with the arm that held her sacred jewel shard, which must have been how Naraku was manipulating her. Once in the demon's hands, that poor girl became nothing more than a pawn in one of Naraku's sick and twisted games. A wave of pity washed over him suddenly when he thought about her situation, but vanished when he spotted her spear, pointed directly over where his heart was.

"Give up." she said to the wolf prince. "It's over."

Koga shook his head at her. "Don't do this!" he said loudly. "Why can't you see that he's just using you? Wake up, already!"

Suddenly, Kita blinked rapidly and pressed a hand to her forehead as if she were in immense pain. During this, she let go of her spear and it fell to the ground with a quiet thud, both her hands now gripping her head. And then, before Koga's very eyes, she doubled over and moaned in agony.

Koga's eyes widened and never left Kita as he picked himself up off the ground. Should he try to help her at all, he wondered, since she looked as if she were in so much pain? True, there wasn't very much that he could do for this poor girl, he knew that. _And yet... _somehow, he felt as if it were his duty to lend her a hand, as if he were obligated to. After all, good warriors never left behind their comrades, so why should he leave her amongst her suffering?

Going over to Kita, he knelt down and placed one arm around her shaking shoulders, saying nothing as he did so. A moment later, Kita looked up and saw Koga there, staring down at her.

"Wha-what's going on?" she asked in a panicked tone. "Wh-what am I doing here?! Who are you?!"

"Shh." Koga said to her. "Calm down, okay? You'll be fine."

From his position, Naraku became angry. "What are you doing?" he called to Kita. "I thought I told you to destroy them!"

"Back off!" snapped Koga. "Haven't you done enough to her already?"

"Yeah!" cried Kagome from her position. "Leave her alone! This doesn't concern her!"

"It's too late for that." Naraku shook his head. "She already knows too much."

_What? _thought Koga. But he was cut off rather abruptly when a large boomerang swung around and knocked down several of Kita's wolves. Looking up quickly, he spotted Sango standing nearby with Inuyasha and the others. But right now, Koga couldn't worry about fighting with the mutt, not when this girl was in such distress.

Kita let out another painful groan, causing Koga's grip on her to become tighter. If something wasn't done immediately, thought the wolf prince, she could die. _Wait a second... _Glancing at Kita's right arm, Koga saw a strange purple light emanating from it.

_That must be where the jewel shard is! _figured Koga in an instant. He looked at the wolf girl.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"P-Princess Kita of the Northern W-Wolf Tribe." came Kita's response.

"Well then, Princess," said Koga as he looked through her rucksack. "My name is Koga, and I am the prince of the Southern Wolf Tribe. I know we've only just met, but I need you to trust me, okay?"

"Why?" said Kita. "What are you going to do?"

He took one of the spear tips from her bag and held her arm steady. "Naraku has been manipulating you because of the sacred jewel shard in your arm." he said in a serious tone. "So it is essential that I remove it, or else you could die."

Kita gasped. "No!" she cried, yanking her arm back. "I worked hard to find that jewel, and I won't let you take it from me!"

"You don't have a choice." Koga shook his head at her. "If I leave it in there, Naraku will surely finish you off."

Kita opened her mouth to retaliate, but before she could, she was struck in the back of the head by Sango's boomerang. With a cry of surprise, she crumpled backwards onto the ground and Koga looked up to see Sango standing over him.

"Quickly!" she said. "Remove that jewel shard while she's still unconsious!"

Koga nodded, obeying the demon slayer and within a few seconds, held the tiny shard in between his fingers.

"Don't lose that, okay?" Sango told Koga. "Inuyasha and Miroku will handle Naraku, while you take this girl back to camp with me."

"Where is Kagome?" asked Koga, concern flooding his handsome face. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine." replied Sango. "I took care of the wolves, and now she's headed back with Shippo. Now let's go, we don't have much time."

"Okay." said Koga as he took Kita into his arms. After Sango had called Kirara to come and take them away, he looked down at the wolf princess to make sure she was still okay. Despite the deep cut that was now in her right arm, she was breathing just fine, her chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm.

Koga smiled. True, it hadn't really been his obligation to help her out. After all, he hardly knew her! But something in the back of his mind had told him that it was necessary to lend her a hand, and the wolf prince was happy that he did. He felt like he knew her from somewhere, but the question was, where?

It was settled, then. Koga decided that after Princess Kita had woken from her slumber, Koga would interrogate her a bit. She seemed like a very interesting person.

* * *

Please don't forget to review on your way out, as they are very much appreciated. :D Adios, everyone! *is in a Spanish mood*

~Pandas


	7. Chapter 7: Searching for a Memory

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly..." Hi everyone! Wow, I can't believe how fast Christmas is coming up! I can hardly wait! ^^

And here's Chapter 7! What will become of Kita, our new heroine? Can Koga and Kagome fall in love? Will the gang ever defeat Naraku? Why am I asking you all these questions??? Haha... hope you guys like this!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, just Madison and Kita.

* * *

"Uhnnh..."

Kita gave a soft moan as her eyelids fluttered open, trying to get used to the bright daylight. "Huh?" she questioned blearily, rubbing her eyes with one hand. _Yikes. _she thought all of a sudden. _Where am I? And why does my head hurt so badly? _Yawning, Kita fished around on the ground for her spear, but was surprised to discover that it was not there.

_What the hell... _The young princess' eyes widened in surprise. _Wh-Where's my spear? Didn't I have it just a second ago? _But before she could continue her train of thought, she heard someone speaking to her.

"Oh, good." said the voice, a female's. "You're up."

Looking over to one side, Kita saw a girl standing there, a girl probably just a few years older than herself. Her hair, dark like Kita's, flowed freely from her scalp, coming down to just a little ways below her shoulders. And she was wearing the strangest outfit Kita had ever seen, consisting of a short, green skirt and a white long-sleeved shirt, completed with a matching green and red scarf. Close to her sata small boy with flaming red hair and a fox tail, a brunette demon slayer, a Buddhist monk, and the wolf demon whom Kita had encountered previously, but couldn't remember his name. Farther away, seated on the branch of an oak tree, another being sat with his arms crossed over his chest. Looking over in her direction, the silver-haired boy sneered at Kita before turning away once more.

Turning to the strangely-dressed girl, Kita asked,"Who are you? And why have you brought me here?"

"I'm Kagome." came the girl's simple reply. "And Koga brought you here because we want to know what's going on."

"Koga?" inquired Kita, before remembering his identity. "Oh yes, I remember him." she said. "But who are the others?"

One by one, Kagome pointed out Shippo, Sango, Miroku, Koga, and Inuyasha to Kita, introducing each one by name.

Koga looked over at Kita with his piercing blue eyes. "I see you're up." he said to her. "Are you feeling alright?"

"My head hurts," admitted the wolf princess. "And so does my arm. But other than that, I think I am okay."

"I should hope so." said the monk, now known as Miroku. "That was quite an ordeal you had suffered back there."

Kita raised an eyebrow. "It was?"

"Yes." Sango looked at Kita with questioning eyes. "Don't you remember?"

"No." Kita shook her head slowly. "I don't."

"I see." said Koga, getting up and going over to to the young girl. "Then perhaps we ought to ask you a few things, and then-"

"Where is my spear?" interrupted Kita, leaping to her feet. "And my bag? I won't answer any of your questions until I know what you've done with them."

"We've got them." assured Kagome. "Don't worry, they're right over there." Again, she pointed to the spot where Koga had been sitting previously. Sure enough, laid upon the hardened ground were Kita's supplies, lined up together like a pair of lovebirds.

Kita blinked. "I see." she said at last. She turned to Koga and Kagome. "Very well then, what is it that you wish to know?"

"Well, for starters," said Kagome. "You could tell me your name."

"I am Princess Kita," came the young girl's reply. "And I come from the wolf tribe to the north. When I was very young, the tribe where I had previously lived was attacked by demons, and both my mother and father were slaughtered."

"Oh." Kagome placed a hand on Kita's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Kita shook her head. "Wasn't your fault." she said. "During the attack, my older brother and I were separated, and up until recently, I thought he was dead. However, because he isn't, I left my home to try and find him again. But then, shortly after I had set out, I felt a searing pain in my right arm and I collapsed. The next thing I remember is your friend over there talking to me." She pointed to Koga, before turning to Kagome once more. "Do you by chance have any idea of what happened to me during that time?"

"Yes, we do." Koga spoke up, looking down at Kita with his sharp blue eyes. "Because you had a shard of the sacred jewel in your arm, the demon Naraku was easily able to manipulate you into doing whatever he wanted. For a while, you were his little puppet."

Any color that had previously been in Kita's face disappeared when she heard those words. "What did I do?" she asked softly.

"You attacked me." Koga replied. "And for a while, you put up a good fight and almost had me beaten. But then, just as you were about to do me in once and for all, you released your weapon and clutched your head as if you were in immense pain."

"You almost died," interrupted Kagome. "So to stop Naraku from hurting you any longer, Koga had to take the shard out of your arm."

"What?" Kita raised an eyebrow, before finally noticing the bloodstained bandage wrapped around her arm, throbbing slightly from pain. "Oh." She looked up at Koga. "Thank you, then, for saving me. If not for you, I might not be here right now."

"You're welcome." Koga replied. "It was no trouble."

"That reminds me," said Miroku all of a sudden. "I believe this belongs to you." Lifting his hand, he revealed Kita's shard of the Shikon jewel, glinting and shimmering in the sunlight. "Much as I hate to give it up, is rightfully yours."

"True." said Kita, taking the tiny object from his fingers. "Thank you." Unwrapping the bandage on her arm, she delicately put the shard back into it's rightful place, before letting Kagome wrap up her arm again with a fresh strip of gauze.

After Kagomehad finished, Sango's eyes traveled to the set of beads that sat upon Kita's neck. "Your necklace is very interesting," she said. "I've never seen anything like it before. Where did you get it?"

"It was a birthday present from my brother," said Kita, getting a faraway look in her eyes. "Before the attack." She heaved a sigh. "It's a wonderful gift, and I love it a lot, but I would much rather have my brother around again. If I really concentrate, I can sort of remember what his face looks like. But before I can get a good look at it, it always disappears."

"I understand." Kagome placed a hand on Kita's shoulder. "You miss him a lot, don't you?"

Kita nodded quietly. "I do." she said.

Hearing her story, Sango couldn't help but feel a stab of pity for the young princess as she thought of her own dear brother. It occurred to her that perhaps she and Kita were not as different as she thought they were. After all, they both had a deep love for their respective brothers. But the tragic thing was that Kita had not seen her brother in many years, where as Sango had spent most of her life with Kohaku. Thinking this, a light bulb suddenly went off in the demon slayer's head, and she called Kagome over.

"Yes, Sango?" asked Kagome upon her arrival. "What is it?"

"Kagome," began Sango. "This girl is all by herself with nowhere to go. Do you think that perhaps...?" Her voice trailed off.

"Perhaps what?" Kagome cocked her head to one side.

"Do you think that perhaps," Sango suggested slowly. "She would like to go with us?"

Miroku's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean, Sango?"

"We travel around a lot to look for sacred jewel shards anyways," Sango replied. "Would it really do any harm if she were to come along?"

Kagome opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Inuyasha cut her off.

"Are you crazy?!" he cried, leaping down from his tree branch and turning to face Kagome. "We don't know this girl! What if she made up that whole sob story about her brother, and all she's really after is our shards of the sacred jewel?!"

"Inuyasha..." Miroku tried to intercede, but Kagome cut him off.

"How can you say that?" she yelled at the hanyou. She turned to the others. "We all saw what Naraku did to her back there. Because of that jewel shard in her arm, who's to say that he can't control her again whenever he wants to?"

No one spoke a word as Shippo sat nearby, hands in his lap, thinking about what Kagome had just said.

After several moments of uncomfortable silence, Sango spoke up. "All Kita wants is to find her brother," she said. "The only family she's got left. Are we really going to leave her like this when she needs our help?" Turning to Miroku, her eyes met his as he thought about the real reason behind Sango's traveling with them: for the good of her brother.

Miroku gave a slight scowl. He didn't like that look, he decided. It just didn't do justice to her lovely face, or her eyes for that matter... But regardless of how beautiful she looked today, he couldn't deny the fact that she was right.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt for a little while," admitted Miroku. "It _is _her family, after all."

Sango gave him a smile, but Inuyasha was not as thrilled. "Have you all gone nuts?!" he roared. "We _do not_know this girl, _nor_do we know what she's really like! I say we just-!"

"SIT BOY!"

Inuyasha cried out in surprise as he received a mouthful of dirt, courtesy of Kagome.

"Now then," Kagome ignored Inuyasha as she turned to the others. "Do we all agree that Kita should come with us?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Good then." Kagome smiled. "I'll go tell Kita the news." Turning around, she walked over to where Kita was standing with Koga. Upon closer inspection, the young princess seemed to be explaining something to him while he stood and listened intently. When she saw Kagome approach, she turned around.

"Something the matter?" asked Kita.

"I was just talking with my friends a little while ago," Kagome said. "And we've decided that if you want to travel with us while you search for your brother, that would be fine."

"Wow," Kita's eyes widened slightly. "I- I don't know, are you sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all." replied Kagome with a smile. "We'd love to have you. Isn't that right, Inuyasha?" She turned to the half-demon, smiling self-righteously. He merely growled in response and ignored her.

"Well, in that case," said Kita. "I would love to travel with you and your friends. Thank you, Kagome." she gave a grin of her own. "Thank you very much."

Koga then chose this moment to speak up. "If you do not mind, Kagome," he said. "I wish to travel with you as well. I want to be able to protect you if you get in trouble." Going over to Kagome, he took both her hands in his. "I would die if something were ever to happen to you and I couldn't be there to stop it." Looking at Koga, Kita could clearly see the love he possessed for Kagome, shining in his eyes like diamonds.

Kagome blushed, suddenly shy. "S-sure Koga," she managed to sputter. "I-I don't mind if you tag along. I don't mind at all."

"Then it's settled." Koga smiled tenderly at her. "I will go." With that, he pulled back his hands, and Kagome couldn't help but feel a little blue as he did so. Why did she feel this way? Was she _supposed _to have feelings like this, especially for Koga? Kagome wasn't sure, but her train of thought soon ended when Miroku spoke up.

"Shall we be going, then?" he asked. "It's starting to get late, and we mustn't stay in one place for too long, should Naraku find us."

"Late?!" cried Kagome all of a sudden. "Oh my, I almost forgot! I still have some things to finish before Madison arrives!"

"Who is Madison?" questioned Kita. "Is she another friend of yours?"

Kagome nodded a quick yes as she spun around to face the others. "I'm sorry guys," she said. "But I have to go now. I'll be back in a few days, though, and when I arrive, I'm going to bring Madison."

"All right then." came Sango's response. "But how will she get through the-?"

Kagome never got the chance to answer her question, because by the time Sango had asked it, the miko had already bid them farewell and gone home at last.

* * *

Okay, I know Kagome left sort of unexpectedly there and left everyone hanging, and I'm sorry for that. '-.- But fear not, for the next chapter is when Madison will be here at last! (applause)

Farewell, adios, and ja ne my spectacular readers! Happy holidays to you all! :D

~BlueSilverPandas


	8. Chapter 8: New Friends and Old Heartache

Hey guys, happy 2010! I am SO SORRY that I haven't updated this story in forever! I know I hate it when stories get left hanging for no reason at all... I suppose I'm a bit of a hypocrite now, aren't I? xP But now, without further ado, may I present Madison and her arrival! Hope you like!

Disclaimer: The only characters I own in this story are Madison and Kita. Everyone else belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

* * *

Three days later, Kagome stood with her mother outside one of the gates at the Tokyo International Airport, eagerly waiting for Madison's plane to arrive. Everything was all set; once the summer ended, Madison would begin attending school with Kagome in the fall.

_Oh boy... _Kagome thought anxiously to herself. _I sure hope she likes it here. _As she waited, she kept a death grip on Madison's welcome gift: The complete Les Miserables soundtrack, which was Madison's most favorite musical of all time.

Nearby, Kagome's mother checked her watch. "It's two o'clock right now," she said, turning to her daughter. "Madison's plance should be arriving any minute."

"Thanks, Mom." came Kagome's reply. "Do you think she'll be happy here, with us?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at her daughter. "I'm sure she'll love it." At that moment, the security guards opened up the gates to the terminal and people began filing out. Some were alone, while others were in small groups.

Squinting, Kagome stared at the gate, trying to spot her friend among the growing throng of people. Finally, about five or ten minutes later, a teenaged girl with short blonde hair came through the doors, her sharp green eyes darting rapidly about the airport. When she spotted Kagome, she broke into a smile.

"Kagome!" she shrieked, rushing forward to embrace her best friend in a bone-crushing hug.

"Hi Madison!" Kagome replied joyously. "It's great to see you again! I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too." Madison said as she pulled back. She turned towards Kagome's mother. "Hello, Mrs. Higurashi! How have you been?"

"Very good." the woman smiled and, studying the British girl for a second, commented, "You've gotten taller since the last time I've seen you."

"Really?" asked Madison, but it was true. The last time she had visited Japan in the seventh grade, Madison had only been a scrawny little thing. Now she was almost as tall as Kagome.

"Oh!" cried Kagome suddenly. "I almost forgot! Here," she handed Madison the wrapped present. "This is a welcome gift I got for you. Open it when we get to the car, okay?"

"Certainly." replied Madison. "Thank you, Kagome."

Kagome smiled. "No problem."

It was then that Kagome's mother spoke up. "Come on, girls." she said. "We should go and find Madison's suitcases at the baggage claim before it gets too late."

"Alright." said Madison, grinning at Kagome's side. The girls continued to chat with one another on their way to find Madison's lavender-colored suitcases at the baggage claim. Once they had been found and Kagome and her mom had helped Madison load them into the car, Mrs. Higurashi began the drive back to Kagome's house.

"Okay," Kagome said once she and Madison were in the backseat. "You can open your present now."

Carefully, Madison took off the colorful wrapping paper to reveal the soundtrack of the musical she loved so much.

"Oh Kagome!" cried Madison. "Thank you! Thank you so very much! I _adore _this!"

"I knew you would." Kagome grinned. "Do you want to listen to it once we get home?"

"Of course," said Madison. "I would love to!"

Twenty minutes later, everyone arrived back home, where Madison cheerfully greeted Sota and Kagome's grandfather before heading up to Kagome's room to unpack her things. Once the girls got there, Kagome gestured towards the extra bed.

"That one is yours," she said. "And I've cleared out some space in the dresser and closet so you'll have more room for your things."

"Okay." Madison nodded. "By the way, Kagome," she said. "I just wanted to say thank you so much for letting me stay here with you and your family. I really appreciate it."

"It's no trouble." came Kagome's reply. "We're all happy to have you, really. Now, do you want me to put on your new CD while you unpack?"

Madison beamed at her friend. "If you don't mind."

And so, her and Kagome happily listened to the soundtrack of Les Miserables as Kagome assisted Madison in unpacking. As well as keeping a running conversation with Kagome, Madison sang along with every single song and hummed the instrumental tunes to herself. Once Madison's clothes were neatly hanging in the closet and the suitcases stored properly beneath her bed, Kagome heard her mother call them both downstairs for supper.

While Madison ate, she was more than happy to participate in the dinner table conversation, being friendly and courteous to all. Not only was she polite to both Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome's grandfather, she was sweet towards Sota as well.

"I swear," the old man remarked suddenly. "Madison, you get taller every time I see you. What have your parents been feeding to you and your sister recently?"

Madison chuckled. "Nothing more than what we usually eat."

"Well," Mrs. Higurashi winked at the English girl. "Perhaps I ought to find some of that and give it to Sota. He's barely grown at all this year."

"Hey!" protested the boy, wrinkling his nose.

Madison, however, simply gave him a grin and rumpled his hair affectionately. "You're fine just the way you are." she told him.

Sota gave a wide grin as Madison and Kagome exchanged little smiles of their own. Once they had finished eating their noodles, Kagome's mother stood up to collect their bowls, but was stopped by Madison.

"I'll take them." said the blonde girl. "I don't mind."

"Oh, thank you Madison." replied Mrs. Higurashi. "That's very sweet of you."

"It's no trouble." Madison voiced. And with that, she immediately got up and started towards the kitchen. Once she had left, Sota spoke.

"I like having Madison around." he said to no one in particular. "She's nice."

Kagome smiled. "Isn't she, though?"

* * *

That night, while Madison was taking a bath, Kagome sat on her bed, reading a book and thinking to herself as she did so.

_I like it when Madison is here. _she thought. _I like it a lot. But even with her here, I still miss my other friends back in the Feudal Era. Gee, I wonder what they'd think of Madison...?_

"I'm finished!" a voice declared, interrupting Kagome's train of thought.

Looking up from her novel, Kagome spotted her friend standing there in her light pink pajamas, brushing out her chin-length hair with one hand.

Kagome nodded in acknowledgement. "Madison," she began slowly. "Would you mind it if we went to see my other friends in the morning?"

"Which ones?" Madison cocked her head. "The ones you have here, or the ones from the Feudal Era?"

"The ones from the Feudal Era." came Kagome's reply. "You know, the ones I talked about on the phone with you?"

"Oh, those ones." said Madison. "Well then, sure. I've been anxious to meet them ever since you mentioned them to me. But I've got a question." she faltered slightly. "I thought that only you and what's-his-face could cross over and back."

"Inuyasha is his name," Kagome corrected as she wracked her brains for a solution. "And I'm not sure how you'd get there." she admitted at last. "But I'll find a way, somehow. I promise you."

Madison broke into a smile as she sat down upon her bed, adjacent to her friend. "I hope you will." she said. "Because there's a few things I'd like to say to that Inuyasha fellow once I meet him..." she frowned.

"That's okay." Kagome shook her head and sighed. "You don't have to. I mean, it's over now, right?"

"Yeah," Madison started. "But I suppose you're still a bit upset by it, correct?"

"A little bit." Kagome conceded. "However, I had mentioned before that he and I had been having some issues lately, so..."

"You were sort of expecting it to happen?"

Kagome nodded, grimacing at the thought of the boy who had shattered her heart.

"Well," Madison made a face. "My advice would be to just forget about him. He's no good for you, and after all, there's plenty of other boys out there."

"You're right." said Kagome. "I guess there are."

Madison bobbed her head in agrement. "So," she continued. "Isn't there anyone else that you might like to be with? Romantically, that is?"

Deep in thought, Kagome rested her chin on her hand. "There's Hojo..." she said at last.

"I know about him." Madison said. "And I don't think you like him very much, do you?"

"Only as a friend." concluded Kagome. "I don't _like _like him, or anything like that."

"True. Anyone else?"

"Well," Kagome became suddenly shy. "I actually _do _know of a guy that likes me..."

"Oh?" Madison's ears perked up. "And who would that be?"

"His... his name is Koga." Kagome blushed slightly when she said his name. "He's a wolf demon."

"Koga." Madison tested the name on her lips. "I think you may have mentioned him once, but I can't remember what you said. What's he like?"

With that, Kagome began to describe Koga to her friend, making sure to include everything that had happened since they'd met and throwing in words like courageous, brave, passionate, and protective of those he loved.

"Hmm," Madison placed a hand on her chin. "He sounds sort of familiar. Actually Kagome, I think you may have mentioned him at one point. Something about a fight with Inuyasha?"

"Yeah," came Kagome's reply. "And the thing is, they were fighting over _me._"

"I remember." said Madison. "Wait, he told you that he loved you, didn't he? Koga, that is?"

"He _did._" Kagome admitted quietly. "Several times, actually." She hung her head. "But I was with Inuyasha at the time, so..."

"You rejected him." Madison said plainly.

"I did reject him." Kagome said with a sigh. "But even then, he still came back to me. I was talking with him a few days ago, you see, and I told him about what Inuyasha had done to me." She paused. "He held me as I cried."

Madison listen with rapt interest. "And?" she questioned.

"He held me," the raven-haired girl continued. "And, well, I can't really explain what I was feeling at that moment, in his arms. For a while, I didn't feel so down on myself about things. Instead, I felt safe, and... and it was like I never wanted to leave."

"Wow." Madison whistled softly. "I think he really _does _love you." The British girl thought for a moment. "Do you think that perhaps you just might feel the same way?"

"What?!" Kagome sat up straight and spun around to face her friend. "But- how can I?! I mean, I-!"

"I don't know." Madison calmly shrugged her shoulders. "But from everything you've just told me, I can definitely say that it's a possibility."

Kagome let out another heavy sigh. "I don't know about this, Madison." she said. "I'm really confused right now."

"Why don't you wait things out a few days, then, and see if anything changes?" suggested Madison. "That might help some."

"I guess." said Kagome uncertainly. Then she stole a glance at the clock on her nightstand. "It's getting late." she said to her friend. "We should probably go to sleep now."

"Probably, yes." Madison let out a yawn in spite of herself. "Good night, Kagome."

"Good night, Madison." Kagome responded, turning out her light and enveloping the entire room in darkness. Within a few minutes, she began to hear Madison's slow, deep breathing and knew that her friend had fallen asleep.

Kagome, however, did not settle down as easily. Her mind was still racing endlessly with thoughts of Koga. _Could Madison be right? _she wondered silently. _Could she? And if she is, how can I just fall _out _of love with Inuyasha and fall _in _love with Koga as quickly as I apparently did? It doesn't make any sense. Yikes, _Kagome's eyes widened slightly. _Do I _really _love him? Do I? Or has Madison simply been reading one too many romance novels again? I don't know... _She turned over onto her other side so that she was facing the wall.

_Even if it does turn out that I'm in love with Koga, _Kagome continued to muse. _Would that really be such a bad thing? He loves _me_, right? He's certainly said it enough. And, _she admitted to herself. _It _did _feel right when he held me in his arms._

Kagome gave another quiet sigh, too tired anymore to even think straight. And so, closing her eyes, she drifted off into a peaceful, yet somewhat uneasy, slumber.

* * *

So, is Kagome in love like she thinks she is? Or is she simply kidding herself and our new friend Madison really HAS been reading one too many romance novels again? Don't worry, my loyal readers, you shall have your answer in good time (although I think you guys already know ;D). And for those of you experiencing EFW (Emergency Fluff Withdrawal), fear not for that either, for the fluff is on its way. ^^

Reviews are appreciated, as per usual, and I already mentioned that I don't own Inuyasha. So I guess that's it for now.

Adios everyone, and thanks again for your patience!

~Pandas


	9. Chapter 9: Back to the Feudal Era

I'M BAAAAAACK! :D Oh my goodness I haven't updated this story in forever and I feel horrible about it! D: But no worries, I refuse to ever let a hiatus like this ever happen again, just so you know. Now, if you guys and girls haven't completely abandoned all hope in this story, then I give you at long last Chapter 9 of Shattered! Bear in mind, it's been a while since I've sat down to watch Inuyasha, so if there are any errors or mistakes feel free to let me know :)

Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Inuyasha except for Madison and Kita.

* * *

The next morning, Madison awoke to the feel of the sunshine upon her face. Stretching, she glanced at the clock and saw that it was now 8:30, on the dot. Then, she turned her gaze towards Kagome's bed and saw that the Japanese girl was still asleep, her back turned to Madison.

Kagome suddenly tossed over to the other side, her dark hair framing the side of the pillow. "Hmmm, Koga..." she murmured softly.

The blonde girl giggled behind her hand, but disguised it as a cough so as not to wake Kagome. _So I was right then, _she thought with a grin. _She __**does **__love him. Why else would she be saying the boy's name in her sleep?_

Going over towards the closet, Madison opened the door and pulled out a short-sleeved white blouse, complete with her favorite pink jumper dress and a pair of black leggings. Taking her things, she began towards the bathroom to prepare for the day. Once there, Madison brushed all the frizz out of her hair and pulled it back with a pink ribbon headband. Smiling once at her reflection, she finished up by brushing her teeth before heading back to the bedroom.

When she arrived, she saw that Kagome was awake and stretching her arms above her head. "Good morning." said the dark-haired girl.

Madison smiled. "Morning," she said. "I take it you slept well?"

"Sort of," replied Kagome. "But I had the strangest dream. I was-"

"Don't bother," Madison held up her hands. "I already know. I was right, you _do _love Koga!"

"What?" Kagome leapt up from her bed, her brown eyes wide with shock. "But how-?"

"You were talking in your sleep." Madison said, grinning. "You kept saying, 'Koga, Koga, _Koga!'_ all last night, and this morning too." she laughed. "If that's not proof, I don't know what is."

Kagome's faced reddened with embarassment as she started to get out her clothes. "Shut up, Madison."

Alas, the blonde girl continued. "Koga, Koga, oooooohhhhh Koga!" she teased, clearly enjoying herself.

Kagome glowered at her. "Done yet?" she asked.

"Not quite." Madison replied jokingly, giving one last forceful, "KOOOOGGGGAAAAA!" After she had done that, she said, "Yes, I'm all done now. I've had my fun."

"You're so childish." Kagome rolled her eyes at her nutty British friend.

"Well, _you're _crazy." Madison chuckled. "Crazy in looooooovvee with _Koooooggggaaaaa!_"

"I thought you said you were finished." Kagome sighed pointedly as she began to make her bed.

"I _was_." Madison replied, starting on her own bed. "But you're making it too easy!" she giggled.

"Calm down, will you?" Kagome responded with a slight glare. "Do you still want to meet my other friends or not?"

"Of course I do." said Madison. "Fine, fine, I'll behave." She blew her bangs off of her forehead with a slight puff of air and made a pouty face, a gesture Kagome couldn't help but laugh at.

"Good." she smiled at her friend. "Now go pack your backpack, okay? We might be there for a while."

"You got it." Madison replied, scurrying about to find the necessities that she would apparently need. "And don't worry," she added. "I promise not to embarass you in front of your new dreamboy. But," she scowled. "Like I said before, I _do _have a bone to pick with that ex of yours..."

"Fine then," Kagome said, purposely ignoring the dreamboy comment. "We'll be leaving right after breakfast."

"Alright." Madison packed up her things in her sky blue backpack, rivaling Kagome's bright yellow one.

After the girls had eaten their breakfast, they grabbed their bags and, letting Mrs. Higurashi know where they would be, left for the old well.

Madison shivered. "You go down _there?_" she pointed towards the ancient structure.

"Yep." Kagome nodded.

"Well," Madison bit her lip. "What if I can't get through?"

"It's worth a shot." Kagome nodded fiercely. "But just in case..." she reached into the container around her neck and handed a jewel shard to Madison. "Hold onto that, and don't lose it. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Madison took a deep breath to calm herself. "I am."

Then, taking her hand, Kagome leapt down into the hole with Madison. Squeezing her eyes shut, Madison winced and prepared to hit the dirt floor on the bottom.

But surprisingly, no impact came. Instead, Madison opened her eyes and found herself still falling, but at a slower pace this time. All around her, the air shone with a dim purple light, reflecting off of Madison's emerald eyes. _Wow..._

In no time at all, Madison soon found herself at the bottom of the well in the Feudal Era, although she didn't know it yet. Looking up at the hole up top, Kagome let go of her friend's hand and smiled.

"You made it." she said.

"I guess I did." Madison said with a grin, going to hug her friend. When they pulled away, Kagome spoke.

"Now, all we need to do is climb out of here on these vines." The girl gestured towards the leafy structures as she spoke. "Don't worry too much about falling, it isn't that far away and the ground isn't too hard."

"Okay," Madison took a deep breath. "Let's go." And with that, Kagome began climbing up and out of the well, with Madison following close behind her, hardly daring to look down.

"You see?" Kagome said once they reached the top. "It's not so bad."

"I suppose not," agreed Madison. "Just don't expect me to go skydiving with you or anything."

Kagome laughed lightly. "It's a deal." With that, she beckoned for Madison to follow her towards the place where her other friends had camped out. Following her friend, the blonde girl took in every single detail as she walked. Never before in her lifetime had she seen a sky as blue as this one, or trees as beautiful and tall as the ones she was viewing right now. It all astounded her, and she smiled quietly, happy to be here with her friend.

Squinting her brown eyes, Kagome peered around the area for a brief moment, trying to find the others. "That's funny," she said aloud. "I thought they'd still be here..." Suddenly, she felt a breeze and, looking up, Kagome spotted the whirlwind she knew to be Koga's.

"What's that?" cried Madison, slightly alarmed.

Kagome gave a joyful smile. "It's Koga!" she cried.

"Gee Kagome," Madison cocked her head slightly. "Your new soulmate seems awfully powerful..." she smiled devilishly.

"That's just how he travels." Kagome rolled her eyes. "And _soulmate?_ Where did _that _come from?"

Madison just kept smiling, not answering her friend's question as Koga's whirlwind ceased to keep on twirling. Now, he stood upright on the ground and when he spotted Kagome, he flashed a smile that made her heart flip unexpectedly.

_That was weird..._she thought, but brushed the strange feeling aside when he began to walk towards her.

"Hello Kagome," he said when he arrived. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "There's somebody I'd like you to meet." Kagome turned to Madison. "Koga, this is my friend Madison. Madison, this is Koga."

"Hi, Koga." the British girl smiled warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine." he smiled back at her, shaking her hand. "I'm always happy to meet one of Kagome's friends." Releasing Madison's hand, he turned towards the Japanese girl. "Where are the others, love?" he questioned.

"I don't know." replied Kagome. "I was sort of wondering that myself."

Koga thought for a moment. "I believe they said something about stopping at Kaede's hut. I'll take you and Madison there, if you'd like me to."

"I would love it." Kagome responded. "Thanks!"

Koga smiled tenderly at her. "Anything for you, love." he said, before starting down the nearby path. Kagome's cheeks reddened even more as she followed behind him, Madison traveling close at her side.

The blonde girl nudged Kagome with her elbow. "So," she whispered. "That's Koga?"

Kagome nodded. "That's him."

"I can see why you like him," Madison observed. "He seems very charming and sweet, along with being quite handsome."

Kagome didn't even attempt to deny her this time. _There's no point. _she decided in her mind. _It's true... right?_

Kagome bit down on her lower lip as she considered this in her mind. Madison was right, Koga _was _very sweet towards her, and charming too. She had even been right in saying that the wolf demon was handsome. Kagome's mind then drifted towards the image of his face. She felt her knees weaken only slightly as she reflected upon his long black tresses, billowing in a breeze that wasn't there, along with his dark blue eyes, so hypnotizing and beautiful to look at...

_Oh my gosh. _Kagome realized at last. _I think I'm falling in love with Koga. Madison was right after all._

Kagome had thought a while back that if she ever grew to love Koga, she would immediately get scared and want to run away from her feelings. But the thing was, Kagome didn't _want _to run away. She wanted to stay here with Koga, to hold him in her arms and maybe, just maybe, feel the gentle pressure of a soft pair of lips against her own.

Several minutes later, the group arrived in Kaede's village, and Koga spoke. "The others should be here."

With that, the group approached the structure and Kagome gently moved the straw curtain aside that took the place of a door.

"Kaede?" she questioned, glancing around the small room before spotting the elderly woman, sitting by the fire.

Kaede looked up. "Hello, Kagome." she said in greeting. "Where have ye been for the past few days? Ye didn't come with the others."

"I was at home," replied Kagome. "My friend is here." she motioned for Madison to step forward. "Kaede, this is Madison. She's a friend from my era. Madison, this is Kaede."

"Hi." Madison smiled in a kind manner. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Kaede."

"Likewise, child." she responded, getting up from her position and peering at the green-eyed girl for a moment. "How is it that ye were able to pass through the enchanted well."

"I'm not quite sure." Madison cocked her head. "Kagome gave me a jewel shard, but I'm not sure if that was what helped or not. Oh, that reminds me." She handed the jewel shard back to her friend, who then stored it away for safekeeping.

_She seems different. _Kaede thought, but didn't say out loud. Best not to scare the girl when she just got here, after all. Even still, the elderly woman could sense good things from the blonde one.

It was then that Koga spoke up. "Do you know where we may be able to find the others?" he asked the one-eyed woman.

"Aye," answered Kaede. "The demon slayer has gone off with the monk and Shippo to find me some more herbs, and Inuyasha said he was going hunting this afternoon."

Kagome gave a soft sigh. She was happy to hear about her other friends, but the fact that Inuyasha claimed to have gone hunting troubled her. Usually in the past whenever he had said this, he had gone to see Kikyo instead. But what did it matter to her? After all, if Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were around, Madison would at least be able to meet them, wouldn't she?

_Right. _She thought to herself as she turned to the others. "Come on, you two." said Kagome. "Let's go find them."

Madison nodded in agreement as Kagome began to lead her away, with Koga close behind them.

"Thank you, Kaede!" Kagome called back.

"It was nice to meet you!" yelled Madison.

"Ye as well!" answered Kaede. "Make sure ye and Kagome take care of yeselves!"

"We will!" Madison replied with a smile.

Nodding, Kaede leaned her head back a bit and let out a sigh that had been building up all day. _What an extraordinary girl..._ she thought briefly, before turning around and going back to her work once more.

* * *

And that's chapter nine :) Hope you liked it! Reviews are greatly appreciated, because they tell me if I'm doing a good job or not and what I need to improve on. Plus they make me feel special :3 I'm waiting about a week in between updates, so in about a week you can expect chapter ten to be out. Thanks for all your patience and I'll see you next week!

Ja ne everyone!

Love,

~Pandas


	10. Chapter 10: Tough Choices

Hi! I'm so sorry for all my late updates, but my laptop is having some issues where I can't log in, so that makes it slightly difficult to post on here. That, and the fact that my job takes up a lot of my time, I go back to school next week, and I still have about two summer reading books to finish. No pressure, right? *sweatdrop*

Anyways, I hope you're still reading this and haven't given up on me completely. The story is coming along quite decently, and in this chapter, there rises some conflict! DUN DUN DUUUUN! Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha except for my original characters.

* * *

Within minutes, Koga soon found himself walking down a dusty dirt path with Kagome and her friend Madison. As he strode along, he began to think quietly to himself.

_Madison seems like a very nice girl. _he concluded. _She is lucky to have a friend like Kagome._

Koga smiled to himself slightly, before flashing it towards the direction of Kagome. She in turn grinned back at him, the most adorable pink blush tinting her pale cheeks.

_She is so lovely. _thought Koga as he continued walking in a dreamlike state. _When I'm around her, I feel so different. I love it. _He sighed softly. _I love __**her**__..._

With a sly smile, Madison leaned over to whisper in her friend's ear. "He's watching you, Kagome." she teased.

"Be quiet, Madison." came Kagome's curt response, but she was secretly pleased at the statement. Finally, Kagome spotted the figure of a woman curved over some nearby bushes. By the long brown hair and enormous boomerang secured to her back, Kagome instantly recognized her friend.

"Sango!" she called joyfully, causing the girl to look up in surprise. Nonetheless, she smiled.

"Kagome!" Sango greeted, going over to give the young schoolgirl a hug. She then saw Madison. "Is this the friend whom you have told us about?"

"Yes." replied Kagome. "This is Madison. Madison, this is Sango."

"Hello!" Madison said. "It's nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you too." said Sango. After greeting the nearby Koga, she turned towards Kagome once more.

"I came out here with Miroku and Shippo." she mentioned. "They should be back in a minute."

True enough, the monk and the fox demon showed up not a moment too soon. Kagome introduced Madison to the both of them when they came, and discovered that they were rather pleased to meet her.

Miroku asked Madison, "Have you met Inuyasha yet?"

"No." came Madison's response. "But when I do, I've got a few choice words for him." She balled up one of her hands into a fist and gently pounded it into the other one, a fierce look befalling her normally gentle face.

"You and me both." Koga furrowed his brow in anger.

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "I take it you know, then, about what Inuyasha has done to Kagome?"

"I most certainly do." answered Madison. "And I can honestly say he's going to regret it wholeheartedly."

"You don't have to do that, Madison." Kagome cut her off quickly. "It's all over now."

"But he shattered my best friend's heart." Madison nodded. "There's no way I'm going to let him off so easily."

"I agree with Madison." Koga seconded. "That half-breed is going to pay for the way he treated my woman."

"Your woman, eh?" Madison raised an eyebrow, grinning mischievously. "Did you hear that, Kagome?" she said. "Inuyasha's going to pay for the way he treated you. Koga and I will make sure of it."

"Alright, that's enough you two." Kagome shook her head at the both of them. "No fighting, okay?"

Koga let out a sigh. "Fine." he muttered. "But only because of you."

"Yeah." Madison made a face. "Speaking of the devil, where is Inuyasha anyways? I don't remember."

"Kaede said he had gone hunting," piped up Shippo. "But I doubt he'll actually come back with anything…"

"True." Sango heaved a sigh. "But while we wait for him to come, we can take these herbs back to Kaede's hut."

"Sounds good." Kagome nodded as she picked up one of the baskets Sango had filled. "Come on, guys. Let's go."

"You got it." answered Madison, following her newfound friends back to Kaede's village.

* * *

Meanwhile, deep in another part of the forest, a certain silver haired half-demon stood in a clearing, his mouth closed but his mind racing with a million thoughts. He thought of the expression on Kagome's face when he had stood there previously on that fateful summer's night. He thought of a deceased priestess, the one whom the hanyou had given his heart to.

He thought of many things behind those fathomless eyes of his, but all were interrupted when he heard a calm voice, almost too calm, whisper his name.

Turning around, the boy immediately spotted the woman he loved so much, the woman whom he had vowed to protect for always and forever, but had failed. She sat gracefully upon the branch of a nearby tree, gazing at him with cold brown eyes.

"Kikyo…" the slightly shocked half-demon managed to say at last.

"Inuyasha." she replied, lifting herself off of the branch and going over to embrace him. "I have missed you these past few days."

Inuyasha nodded softly. "I have missed you too."

Kikyo pulled back from the hug. "You are troubled." she said. "I can see it in your eyes. Is this because of my reincarnation?"

He nodded once more, knowing he could never lie to Kikyo.

The dark-haired woman scoffed. "Do not be. You have me, and I will love you more than she ever could."

Again, Kagome's face came to the hanyou's mind, and he said nothing.

Kikyo spoke once more, her voice strained and bitter. "Inuyasha," she said. "Does that girl mean more to you than I do?"

Slowly, deliberately, the boy shook his head. "No." he said aloud. "You will always mean the most to me." Inuyasha pulled Kikyo into a hug. "You know that."

"Do I?" came Kikyo's response. Lifting her head, she gazed into Inuyasha's eyes. "Prove it. Bring me the shards of the Shikon jewel, so that we may always be together." Leaning forward slightly, she kissed Inuyasha on the mouth with lips as cold as ice and death. He responded, kissing her back and ignoring the eerie chill that ran up his spine at her touch. When the two pulled back, Kikyo spoke once more.

"Do not fail me, Inuyasha." she said. "For I love you." Then, taking a step backwards, walked delicately out of the clearing, her soul collectors following close behind her.

After she left, Inuyasha merely stood there, touching a finger to his lips. Kikyo's words repeated in his mind, over and over like a broken record.

_Bring me the shards of the Shikon jewel… do not fail me, for I love you… I love you…love you…_

Growling angrily, he placed his hands on either side of his head. Her words to him had been so simple, so easily spoken, that it made getting the jewel shards sound so easy.

But could he do it? Could he bring her the jewel shards that she wanted so badly, the same ones he had worked so hard with Kagome and the others to obtain?

_Kagome…_Inuyasha gave a small sigh as her face came to his mind once more, etched with hurt at the sight of him and Kikyo together. Had he done the right thing, betraying her like that?

_No. _he shook his head rapidly. He didn't betray her, not really. He had only chosen being with Kikyo over being with her. But wasn't that the same thing, in all sincerity? _Well, _Inuyasha thought to himself. _When I return, I'm sure she'll be there. She always is._

_But maybe…_ Inuyasha pondered to himself as he returned to Kaede's little village.

_Maybe this time, I'm wrong. _

* * *

And so concludes chapter ten! What's Inuyasha going to do? Will he give the shards to Kikyo? Will he pursue Kagome again? Will he come to his senses? Will I stop asking you all these stupid questions? You will have to tune in and see :) Reviews and comments are appreciated, but flames will be dealt with by Koga. And trust me, you do not want to make him mad.

Until next time!

~Pandas


	11. Chapter 11: New Meaning

So yeah... that really awkward moment when you haven't updated in almost eight months... I suppose saying sorry won't cover that, will it? :( It's too bad because as I was typing out this chapter, I realized that I have really missed this story. It was my first multi-chapter story on this site and helped me improve my writing. And I miss watching Inuyasha too, because I haven't done that in a while either! There are quite a lot of filler episodes, as you may know :( Well, I hope you like this anyways.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, yadda yadda yadda...

* * *

As the sun began to set and cast long shadows over the ground, Kagome, Madison, and the others all sat down to a supper that Kaede had made for them that evening. Sitting with Koga on her right and Madison on her left, Kagome happily talked with them and her other friends as she ate her food.

Shippo suddenly spoke. "When's Inuyasha gonna come back?" he asked.

"With any luck," growled Koga. "He won't."

Ignoring this little tidbit of information, Kagome turned to Madison. "So," she said to her friend. "I know it's a bit early to be asking, but how do you like it here so far?"

Madison broke into a smile. "I like it a lot."

"Don't you miss your family?" asked Sango.

"A little bit." admitted Madison. "It feels sort of strange not having them around, but they know I'm okay."

Sango grinned at her from her position next to Miroku. Nobody but Madison saw him secretively scoot closer to Sango, but she decided to keep quiet… for now. At that moment, Koga wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"What's the matter?" inquired Madison. "Are you sick or something?"

"I might as well be." came Koga's reply. "The mutt's on his way, and he reeks of death."

"You mean Inuyasha?" Madison raised an eyebrow.

"That's exactly whom he means." said Kagome. Sure enough, a few moments later, the hanyou walked through the straw-covered door.

"Did I hear somebody say my name?" he growled.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo's ears perked up. "You're back!"

"Yeah," He turned his gaze around everyone in the hut, his amber eyes coming to rest on Madison. He wrinkled his nose. "So," he said. "I guess you must be the new girl, then."

Madison didn't even flinch under his gaze, instead giving the half-demon a glare of her own. "I guess you must be Inuyasha." she retorted.

"Hmph!" scoffed the hanyou. "Who were you expecting?"

Madison's pale face broke into a smile. But it wasn't a sweet smile, no it wasn't. It was a smile dashed with something else, something a bit sinister. "Well," she said. "If you're Inuyasha…"

SMACK!

Everyone visibly cringed as the palm of Madison's hand painfully struck against Inuyasha's check, leaving a red, swollen handprint in its place.

"Ouch!" he yelled, rubbing his now-throbbing face."What in the _hell _did you do that for?"

Madison clenched her fist at her side. "Because," she began in an even tone. "You broke my best friend's heart." And with that, she went over, sat down next to Kagome, and continued to eat her vegetables as if nothing had ever happened.

Inuyasha, however, was positively seething. "Whaddaya mean by that?" he yelled. "You don't just go around hitting people whenever you feel like it! You should know tha- ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"

Madison smiled politely. "Is there an echo in here?"

Koga laughed slightly, earning a glare from Inuyasha. "Stay out of this, wolf boy! And _you!_" he turned on Madison. "You haven't even been here for five minutes and I already don't like you!"

"The feeling is mutual, then." snapped the blonde girl.

As the two continued to bicker almost uncontrollably, Miroku turned to Sango. "I can see those two are going to get along well." he said.

"She certainly is feisty." came Sango's response.

"Yes." Miroku nodded. "And Inuyasha doesn't seem to like it one bit."

Kagome, fed up with all the yelling and fighting, spoke up at last. "That's enough, you guys!" she shouted. "Now, we're all going to be traveling together for a while, so you two might as well just _try _to get along!"

"Peh!" Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "Whatever."

Madison glared at him. "Bastard." she hissed under her breath. Nearby, Shippo gave a tiny sigh.

"Yikes!" he said to Kaede. "She's worse than Koga!"

"It would certainly seem." Kaede responded.

Miroku gave a light chuckle. "I can see that this girl is going to give a new meaning to the _Feud_al Era."

Watching Inuyasha glare at the British girl from across the room, Sango nodded.

"She certainly will."

* * *

A bit short, yes, but still important. I hope I can be better at updating this story you guys, I really do. I feel so guilty because I know you guys are expecting new chapters and I can't give them easily. It slips my mind. The best I can do is try to do better, right? And I fully intend to do so.

Until next time,

~Pandas


	12. Chapter 12: Confessions

Hi everybody! :D It's good to be back on the site. I've missed it so much here, and I've missed writing for this story too. I hope you can forgive me for my long absences ;_; I'll make it up to you right now with some much needed fluff, ok?

I also just wanted to thank everyone for the reviews they have posted for this story! I love you all so much, you guys are the best! Have some cookies! *offers plate of chocolate chip cookies* Thanks for all of your support :D

And now, on with the fluffyness!

Disclaimer: Do I really need to say it? I don't own Inuyasha, or else I'd be a multi-millionare with piles of money and not a high-school student writing fan fiction :P

* * *

Chapter 12: Confessions

After everyone had finished eating, they all decided to go outside and enjoy the evening air together. Watching the sunset from a distance, the group bid farewell to Kaede as they sat themselves down in a nearby field. Shippo had already fallen asleep as he was so tired, and lay curled up in Madison's lap.

"It's a nice sunset." commented Sango, sitting on her backside and hugging her knees in front of her.

"Yes, it is." agreed Miroku. The two sat in silence then, wondering what to say next. Then, ever so stealthily, Miroku scooted a little bit closer to Sango, his hand brushing hers accidentally.

Sango's eyes widened, unsure of what she should do. Did she want this? Would it be considered okay if she held his hand tonight? Would it?

And… why did this feel so right all of a sudden?

He smiled reassuringly in her direction, and Sango felt her cheeks begin to redden. Then, his hand brushed hers once more, and this time, it wasn't an accident. But instead of pushing the monk away, Sango only leaned into his touch, savoring the moment.

Kagome smiled at the pair, as Madison leaned over to whisper something to her.

"I guess we're _all _falling in love tonight, aren't we?" she grinned knowingly at her friend.

Kagome laughed softly and turned to Koga, whom was seated next to her. "Do you want to go for a walk with me?" she asked, somewhat tentatively.

Koga gazed down at her. "It would be my honor." And with that, the two of them got up from the ground and started walking away.

"Hey!" hollered Inuyasha as they left. "Where do you think you're goin' with Kagome, wolf boy?"

"None of your business!" snapped Kagome. Oh, how Koga's heart surged to hear those words! For once, she wasn't defending that despicable mutt! Not in the least!

Giving the hanyou a smug smile, the wolf demon soon caught up with Kagome, and the two of them began to walk along one of the paths in the dense forest.

Striding along with Koga, Kagome suddenly felt very at ease with the leader of the southern wolf tribe. She was so comfortable that she began to wonder to herself.

_What would Koga say if I were to hold his hand? Would he think it odd? Maybe I should ask him…_

"K-Koga…" Kagome began.

He turned to her. "Yes, love?"

"You… you know you can hold my hand if you want to." Her face turned pink. "I-I don't mind it at all…"

Koga's pointed ears perked up. "You don't?"

"No." replied Kagome. "Not in the least."

"Okay, then." He said softly, sliding his rough, careworn hand through hers.

Kagome's cheeks turned from pink to red when she caught the yokai gazing tenderly down at her. She loved the way her hand felt in his. It made her forget everything she had been through, and allowed her to focus only on him.

For a while, the pair walked in comfortable silence, not wanting to spoil the moment with their words. Before long, the sun had set and the sky filled up with stars, dotting the heavens like confetti. Stopping in place, Kagome gazed upwards at the sky, admiring its beauty.

"The stars sure are lovely tonight, aren't they?" she said to Koga.

"Yes," agreed the wolf demon. "They are." Suddenly, a lump formed in his throat, causing him to turn away from the miko. "Kagome," he said softly.

She turned to him. "What is it, Koga?"

"What do…?" Koga gave a sigh. "What do you think of me, compared to Dog Crap?" He cringed slightly as he waited, nervous, for her response.

Biting her lip, Kagome thought for a moment, struggling to find the right words. "I think you are very brave." She said at least. "You are brave and loyal, and you care so much about your friends." Her brown eyes turned to him. "Inuyasha may be good at fighting, but…" she paused. "He is not like you."

Koga turned around and looked at her with his deep blue eyes. "Do you still love him?" he asked quietly.

Kagome shook her head no. "I did once," she admitted with a sigh. "But not anymore." She gathered up her courage to form the next sentence. "There's someone else now."

Koga's eyes widened. _Oh no…_ "Who is he?" demanded the wolf prince. "What does he look like? Is he a good warrior? Please tell me!"

The girl smiled at how flustered Koga had become. "He is very handsome," she said sweetly. "And he is one of the best warriors I know."

"Is he human?" questioned Koga. "Or is he a demon? Where is he right now? I want to talk to this guy!" His brow furrowed angrily.

Kagome just giggled. "He's a demon…" she insinuated, gazing knowingly in his direction.

"Fine then," said Koga, becoming very impatient. "Just tell me where this idiot is!"

"He's not an idiot, no matter what anyone says. And," she paused, going over to stand closer to the yokai. "He's right here."

Koga's sapphire eyes widened as his heart rate sped up dramatically. What Kagome was saying… could it possibly be true?

"Ka-Kagome," his voice faltered. "Do you, are you, is- what are you saying?" In desperation, the wolf prince grabbed his love's hands in his own, his face now mere inches from hers.

The girl swallowed hard. "What I'm saying, Koga, is that I… I… I…"

"Yes, my love?"

"I…" Kagome took a deep breath and found her voice at last. "I love you."

Koga let out a silent gasp. So it _was _true then! But was it really? Had the wolf prince heard wrong? With his demon heart racing, he came closer to Kagome, his lips brushing the very tip of her ear.

"Say it again." He begged in a whisper. "Please, say it again."

The gesture shocked Kagome, and sent a shiver down her spine. But she couldn't deny what she knew to be true for any longer.

"I love you."

There was no mistaking it, for Koga had heard her just right. She _loved_ him! _She _loved _him_! Not in a million years had Koga ever thought he would hear those sweet words, coming from the lips of the one he loved so dearly…

Pulling back, Koga spoke in a low, fervent voice. "You mean it then, love?"

Kagome nodded yes. "Of course I do." she said. "And I'm sorry that I didn't realize it sooner."

"Shh." Koga placed a finger on her lips to silence her. "It doesn't matter now. What matters is that you love me… and that I love you too."

"Koga…"

He silenced her again, placing his hand beneath her chin and gently forcing her head upwards. Kagome's breath caught in her throat, but she remained quiet still. And then, after what seemed like years, the wolf prince found his courage and brought his lips down upon hers. Kagome's eyes flew wide open, but soon closed themselves again as she kissed him back.

Reaching upwards, the raven-haired girl wound her arms around the wolf boy's neck as he pulled her body closer to his, both swept up in the blissful moment. The kiss was tender, loving, and sweeter than any kiss Kagome had ever received from Inuyasha. All too soon, though, the need for air became desperate, and the pair broke apart, each gasping quietly for breath.

Sighing happily, Koga pressed his cheek against Kagome's hair as she in turn placed her head on his chest. _Wow…_ thought Kagome, unable to function properly. _Just… wow._

Finally, Koga spoke. "Kagome," he said in a low voice full of love and tenderness. "I cannot tell you how happy I am right now, right at this moment, to hear you say that you love me. I have loved you for the longest time now, and to know that you return my feelings," he paused. "It means the world to me."

"And," he said, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes. "I can promise that I will never hurt you intentionally, and that I will always be there for you, whenever you need me."

Kagome gave her new lover a light peck on the cheek, blushing as she did so. "T-Thank you, Koga."

He smiled his infamous smirk for a moment, before breaking away from her embrace and taking her hand in his own. "I suppose we should start heading back." He said. "Your friends will start to wonder where we have gone."

"Well," Kagome smiled. "They know I'm with you, so it'll be alright."

All of a sudden, a familiar scent began to fill Koga's nose. Raising his head slightly, he inhaled deeply.

"Someone is coming." He announced, getting into a fight stance and positioning himself in front of Kagome. However, the yokai was relieved to find that it was only Ginta, standing before them and struggling to catch his breath.

"Koga!" he cried upon spotting his friend. "Thank goodness I was able to find you and Kagome! You must come quick, there is trouble!"

"Trouble?" Koga raised an eyebrow. "Why, what's going on?"

"One of our sisters from the northern tribe," said Ginta. "She's been ambushed by a pack of enormous wild boar demons, demanding that she give them her shard of the sacred jewel. I don't know her name, but she had on a strange set of beads and was carrying a spear.

Kagome let out a gasp. "Kita!" she cried.

"You know her, sister?" questioned Ginta.

"We ran into her a while ago," explained Koga. "She ambushed us and demanded our jewel shards." He scowled. "But I have had encounters with boar demons before, and even she is no match for them. Where is she?"

"A few miles from here." replied Ginta. "She was in pretty bad shape, so I left Hakkaku with her while I went to find you."

"We've got to help!" cried Kagome. "But we're going to need the others too."

"Come on then!" Sweeping Kagome into his arms, bridal-style, Koga nodded fiercely. "There's not a moment to waste!" And with that, he sped down the nearby path to find the others, clutching his love for dear life.

"Hey!" hollered Ginta as they left. "Wait for me!" Heaving a sigh, he began to run as fast as his legs could carry him after the new couple.

* * *

Well? What do you think? I must admit, I had this chapter outlined during my freshman year of high school, hence all the cliche elements :P I hope you enjoyed it anyways though, at least the two of them are finally together :) I'm so happy to be back in this story! *flails joyfully*

See you next time!

~Pandas


	13. Chapter 13: Danger

Here we are, chapter thirteen of Shattered :D I am on a roll this week. I have several chapters of both my ongoing stories written in advance, and now they're just waiting to be typed. Later on, I'm going to have to rewatch some Inuyasha episodes in order to get a better feel for the characters. All will come in due time my friends :)

And now, on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and I'm too lazy to type out the rest :P

* * *

Chapter 13: Danger

"Give up, little girl." hissed a deep, threatening voice. It came from nearby the spot where Kita stood, gasping for breath.

"You and your friend are too weak to fight." said another. "You cannot possibly beat us…"

The wolf princess squeezed her eyes shut from her crouched position, her dark hair swaying in the breeze. "Shut up!" she screamed. "Shut _up_!"

The entire group of boars chuckled at the girl. "She wants to fight, does she?" taunted one of the creatures. "Even with that useless leg of hers?"

Kita groaned in agony as pain flared in her left leg, unable to cease even for a moment. The deep gash on her calf had begun to bleed again, leaving a dark, wet spot on the dusky ground. She knelt down, trying desperately to cease the flow of the crimson liquid, but failed.

She turned to her newfound companion, the one with the snowy white Mohawk who had been so kind as to assist her in her current situation.

"They are strong creatures." she said. "How may we beat them?"

The companion, the one called Hakkaku, shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "Even with your sacred jewel shard, because of your leg, you are unable to fight."

Kita glanced down at her arm, glowing purple in the night. "I can try." she said at last. "That I am still able to accomplish."

Hakkaku shook his head. "Don't. You could die. Just wait here, okay? My friend will be back soon, and he is bringing our leader with him."

"Who is your leader?" asked Kita. "Is he a good warrior?"

"His name is Koga," replied Hakkaku. "And he is one of the best warriors in our tribe." His eyes darted to the side. "There he is right now!"

Kita turned her gaze to where his was, and sure enough, there stood Koga with Kagome and Ginta at his side.

"Koga!" hollered Hakkaku. "You're here!"

The wolf prince easily leaped over to where his friend stood with Kita. "Are you two alright?" asked Koga.

"I am fine," replied Hakkaku. "But Kita has been injured."

"She's hurt?" questioned Kagome. "Where? Let me take a look at it." Coming over to the wolf princess, she peered at her bleeding leg.

"Well?" said Ginta. "Is it bad?"

"It's not good." Kagome furrowed her brow. "She can't fight with an injury like that."

Hakkaku turned to Kita. "I told you so."

Kita glared at him. "Shut up." she snapped.

"Enough!" roared one of the boar demons. "No more of this! You are all done for!"

Koga's heart raced angrily. "I don't think so!" he hollered, leaping upwards to attack the heinous creature. But before he could get in a single punch, there was a sudden flash of light. Within seconds, the boar lay dead at his feet.

"What?" Koga was confused. "How did-?" His voice cut off suddenly and his brow creased in a loathsome manner. "Inuyasha." He spat, seeing the one he hated so much. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Glancing disdainfully at the animal he had just slain, the silver-haired hanyou turned his gaze towards Koga. "Well," he said aloud. "Obviously a weak little puppy like you is too much of a baby to properly kill one of these things."

"Hey!" hollered Kita unexpectedly. "You can't talk to him that way! Just who do you think you are anyways, you stupid mutt?"

"None of your business, wolf girl!" he shouted back. Red-faced with anger, Inuyasha raised his Tetsusaiga to attack, but Kagome stopped him.

"SIT BOY!"

"Agh!" yelled Inuyasha as his face slammed into the dirt, his sword landing beside him. All of a sudden, everyone heard a laugh. Looking up heatedly, the hanyou spotted Madison with the others, hiding her smile behind her hand.

"Nice going, Kagome." she chuckled. "You never mentioned having that sort of power over him! Could you do it again?"

"Hmm," Miroku placed a hand on his chin. "Very interesting, don't you think, Sango?"

But before Sango could reply, Inuyasha growled and spun towards Kagome. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Kita isn'tyour enemy!" hollered Kagome, pointing towards the boar demons. "_They_ are!"

The half-demon scrambled to his feet as he faced the fearsome creatures. "What do you morons think you're doing?" he boomed angrily.

"Just give us any jewel shards that you may have." responded one of the boars.

"We know you _all_ have some." said another.

"And if you don't give them to us," rumbled a third. "We will slaughter each and every one of you!"

"Not on my watch!" cried Inuyasha. Then, whipping out his sword, he hollered. "TETSUSAIGA!"

Within seconds, he had used the weapon to kill three of the great beasts. Clenching his jaw, Koga soon followed, aiming a kick at one's face and knocking him backwards onto the ground. Raising her bow, Kagome shot one of her enchanted arrows and pierced the side of one of them. However, the group heard a low rumble in the distance, approaching fast.

"What's going on?" shrieked Shippo, running into Madison's arms.

"There's more!" cried Sango. She picked up her Hirakotsu and flung it at the monsters, but barely succeeded.

"Give up!" one cried. "You're greatly outnumbered!"

Ignoring them, Sango grabbed her boomerang and attacked once more, striking several more boar demons in the process.

Nearby, Madison hid Shippo and herself behind an old oak tree, clinging to the little fox demon for dear life. Suddenly, the tree was knocked down with a great force, and Madison screamed when she saw the big, ugly creature standing before her.

"Leave us alone!" she cried. "We don't have any jewel shards!"

"Your words cannot help you now." replied the hideous being. He crouched down low to the ground. "Prepare to _die_!"

As he began to charge for the young British girl, Madison let out another cry as she attempted to protect Shippo and herself with her arms. Her green eyes brimmed with tears as she began to think of her impending doom.

_This is it! _She thought. _I'm done for!_

Just as the girl was about to be impaled by one of the boar's enormous tusks, she suddenly felt a cool rush of air pass by as she was unexpectedly swept off her feet.

_What?_ Looking up at her rescuer, Madison saw one of the wolf demons that had been with Koga. For the life of her, she couldn't remember the boy's name, but saw that he was very well-defined with gray and black hair atop his head.

Gasping for breath, he looked down at Madison and Shippo. "Are you both okay?"

Shippo nodded quickly. "I'm fine." he said.

"I'm alright," seconded Madison. "Thank you for saving us. If not for you, we would have both perished."

The boy smiled. "It's no problem," he replied. "Um, my name is Ginta, by the way."

"I'm Madison." She smiled back at him, not noticing the faint blush that had just befallen his cheeks.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Koga had succeeded in killing off the majority of the demons, but there were still just a few that refused to let go. It was then that Miroku whipped the prayer beads off of his left hand and, holding it up, yelled,

"WIND TUNNEL!"

The boar demons screeched in terror as the remainder of them got sucked into the endless abyss of Miroku's accursed hand. Within seconds, they had vanished, leaving the monk standing there, panting and gasping for breath.

"It's done." said Sango at last, wiping the sweat from her brow. From nearby, Kita's injuries had taken a turn for the worst so that she now lay on the ground, too weak to even move.

Koga went over and knelt at the girl's side. He observed her closely for a moment, and then turned towards Hakkaku.

"It looks bad," he said to his friend. "We need to find help soon, or else she could die."

"Maybe we can help you." A delicate little voice piped up from nowhere.

Glancing up quickly, Koga stared at the owner of the voice, whom had just stepped into the clearing…

* * *

Another cliffhanger, you say? Why yes, another cliffhanger :) That is, until the next chapter. What's going to happen to Kita? Who is the owner of that voice? Why am I asking you all these questions? Will you answer these questions for me? Find out in the next chapter of Shattered!

Ja ne, everyone! :D

~Pandas


End file.
